England midfielder Jude Bellingham has broken his silence following England's elimination from the 2026 World Cup, sharing a poem written by the team's bus driver in Kansas.
Bellingham posted the message on Thursday, a day after England's 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina in the United States.
The loss ended England's bid for a first World Cup final since 1966. Manager Thomas Tuchel's side had led 1-0 before Argentina produced a late comeback to advance. The team was based in the Kansas City area during the tournament.
In an accompanying message, Bellingham said he had been struggling to find the right words for the defeat and the past few weeks, but that the driver's poem captured his feelings.
The player also thanked supporters, writing, "Thank you for the unbelievable support from back home and to those who spent their hard-earned money to travel to America and get behind us." He described the driver's work as hitting "the nail on the head." The poem, titled "The Lions Way," reflects on resilience, self-mastery and teamwork, with lines about England wearing "Three Lions bright" and seeking to master themselves before the crowd.