He shows arrogance but it ISN'T based on ego and there's no empathy for fans - plus what his micro-gestures REALLY mean: Expert reveals what Jude Bellingham's body language tells us about England's bicycle-kick hero

Expert reveals what Jude Bellingham's body language tells us

• LISTEN to It's All Kicking Off! EUROS DAILY: Is Gareth Southgate's LACK of ego a strength or a weakness for England?
• Jude Bellingham stole headlines with his stunning bicycle-kick against Slovakia
• Afterwards, the England stardid not shy away from discussions about the match

A body language expert has revealed what Jude Bellingham's post-match comments and mannerisms tell us about the England superstar.

On Sunday evening, the 21-year-old stole headlines as England booked their place in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals after coming from behind to beat Slovakia 2-1.

Bellingham was the catalyst in that comeback after equalising with a bicycle-kick in the 95th minute of the match, before Harry Kane scored the winner in extra-time.

Real Madrid star Bellingham later conducted a number of interviews where he fired back at England's naysayers and praised the side for showing 'character they have missed'.

But communication specialist Judi James says that his confidence - and even his underlying arrogance - gives us an intriguing insight into Bellingham's nature.

Speaking to Mail Sport, she said: 'Bellingham is sadly ripe to be brought down by what’s called the Tall Poppy Syndrome, where the public praise someone so highly one minute then cut them down to size the next.

'It was on the cards after his goal in the first game, when he became the hero of the hour and fans were dedicating ‘Hey Jude’ as the new English anthem. The pressure of success can be more debilitating than playing as the underdog.

'Is this psychological pile-on causing damage to the form of this young, talented player, who clearly seems to hold any chance of winning this tournament in his hands?'.

The answer to that lies in the way Bellingham handled himself after the match, as he fired a robust response to England's critics in a post-match interview.

The former Birmingham City star insisted it was difficult 'having to listen to all the rubbish' in the build-up to their last-16 clash and looked defiant as he did so.

Delving into the 21-year-old's interview, James said: 'With his eloquence, his arrogance and his upbeat (if a little deluded) analysis of the game during his press calls, Bellingham speaks like the manager the England team needs as well as their key striker.

'‘Who writes your scripts?’ produces an ‘I do’ kick-back that is as fast as his last minute goal and his body language suggested his enthusiasm is still happily untinged by any self-doubt.

'Lacking in any ounce of empathy for the fans who the squad forced to sit in heaving, nail-chewing misery for an almost entire 90 mins, Bellingham shrugs off the sounds of agony and frustration from the terraces as ‘rubbish’, suggesting the kind of emotional resilience he might need to power up for the next match.

'Bellingham’s non-verbal pose might look worrying as it actually suggests humility and even some anxiety, but the signals are thankfully at odds with his words and with some of his micro-gestures'.

One action which was seen as more than just a micro-gesture was the X-rated gesture which Bellingham made after the final whistle - which many thought was aimed at the Slovakian bench.

However, the England star later clarified on social media that it was an 'inside joke with friends' and that he had nothing but respect for the Slovakian side, who pushed the Three Lions to their limits on the night.

After doing a post-match TV interview, Bellingham later addressed reporters and claimed that England's dramatic victory can inspire the team to win the tournament.

James continued: 'He sits at the press conference with his wide shoulders scrunched up and his chin lowered, with creases lining his forehead below puckered brows. His arms are lightly folded in a self-protective-looking barrier and he fiddles with the microphone for a long period of time.

'At one point he rests his chin in the palm of his hand and stuffs his curled fingers over his mouth as though wanting to say more but holding himself back.

'But in terms of his own personal emotions and strength of personality, here his subtler signals look reassuring.

'For a young guy he talks with maturity and wisdom. His confidence and even his underlying arrogance show no signs of being based on ego or bravado.

'The balance between his words and his body language signals suggest the right levels of resilience and motivation and he looks like a proper, dedicated player rather than a spoilt prima donna.

'The very good news from his body language comes from his small gesture when he is asked if his goal might have kicked-started the tournament for him. His shoulder-shimmy response suggests positive enthusiasm and anticipation which will hopefully spread to the rest of the team before the Switzerland game'.