Jude Bellingham positioned himself as England’s potential savior in an adidas pre-tournament advertisement, and in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, he lived up to that role after a prolonged wait.

To be frank, the Real Madrid midfielder had a largely frustrating game against Slovakia, spending much of it pursuing unproductive paths, sluggish in possession, and often displaying visible frustration towards referee Umut Meler. His performance mirrored the overall lethargy that enveloped the England team.

However, when Gareth Southgate’s squad faced the prospect of a humiliating round-of-16 exit following Slovakia’s 25th-minute goal by Ivan Schranz, Bellingham reacted swiftly to a Marc Guéhi flick-on, executing a spectacular overhead kick in stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw.

Bellingham’s goal in the dying moments was followed by Harry Kane’s decisive header in the first minute of extra time, assisted by a trio of substitutes: Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze, and Ivan Toney, securing a 2-1 victory.

England’s attacking quartet of Bellingham, Kane, Bukayo Saka, and Phil Foden had been disappointing until that point. Bellingham’s moment of brilliance exemplified why many had considered them favorites before the tournament began: Southgate possesses numerous players capable of turning matches around.

After scoring the equalizer, Bellingham appeared to mouth the words, “Who else?” It seemed as though he had anticipated his pivotal role all along.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s quarterfinal against Switzerland, England must build on this collective effort, relying on Bellingham’s inspirational form to sustain their Euro 2024 campaign.