Jude Bellingham scored a wonder goal at Euro 2024 and then turned to a speech from Theodore Roosevelt

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Jude Bellingham, one of the most exciting footballers in the world, scored a wonder goal against Slovakia on Sunday that many had expected from the England star.

However, his decision to mark the occasion by referencing a speech by former US President Theodore Roosevelt seemed a less obvious move for someone who only celebrated his 21st birthday on Saturday.

Bellingham’s bicycle kick in the fifth minute of injury time rescued England from 1-0 down to Slovakia in the round of 16 of the European Championship. It sent the match into extra time and Harry Kane sealed a 2-1 victory, meaning England will face Switzerland in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Bellingham later posted part of a speech by Roosevelt on his Instagram channel, likely in response to the fierce criticism the England team has received at Euro 2024.

The excerpt from the speech, better known as “The Man in the Arena,” begins with the statement, “It is not the critic who counts,” and continues with, “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.”

England players were booed by fans during the European Championship due to the team’s unconvincing performance in Germany. Former national team captain and now BBC presenter Gary Lineker used an expletive on his podcast as he sharply criticized the performance.

Playing for England is a nice feeling but there is a lot of pressure here as well,” Bellingham said. “People talk a lot of nonsense and you know it’s fun, if you deliver you can give them a little bit back.

“Football and being on the pitch, scoring a goal and celebrating is liberating and it was perhaps a message for a few people.”

Roosevelt’s full speech, entitled “Citizenship in a Republic,” was delivered at the Sorbonne in Paris in 1910.

Bellingham wrote under his post: “So proud of the boys tonight, we live to fight another day.”