Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s ‘Wolf’ goal celebration explained

The reason for the new Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold celebration has been revealed by the Real Madrid midfielder.

The pair needed just 13 minutes to unveil it to the world in England’s 1-0 victory over Serbia at the European Championship after Bellingham powered home a header from Bukayo Saka’s deflected cross.

Pictures emerged in the build-up to Sunday’s game in Gelsenkirchen appearing to show the team-mates working on potential moves if one of them were to score during this summer’s tournament.

The celebration they settled on – both dropping to one knee, bowing their heads and putting a splayed hand in front of their faces – could now become the latest to be copied in playgrounds nationwide.

After full-time, Bellingham explained that the celebration was related to a game the England squad play which is very similar to the parlour game ‘Mafia’.

“The celebration was from a game we play called ‘Wolf’ and one of the staff always holds his face like that when he doesn’t know what’s going on,” Bellingham said. “So it was more a celebration for the backroom staff who put in so much work every day and they won’t receive any awards like this [his man-of-the-match trophy] or get to have the moments we get to have on the pitch, but we value them so much and it’s important going through the tournament that we keep that atmosphere.”

It is understood the member of staff in question is Eddie Keogh, the squad photographer.

Bellingham marked his first Euros goal with four celebrations in one, first running towards the corner while gesturing to his ears, then performing a knee slide, and then doing his now-trademark hero pose with arms outstretched, before finally teaming up with Alexander-Arnold.

England have been playing ‘Wolf’ since the World Cup in Qatar, and Harry Kane spoke about it in 2022.

“There are about 16 or 17 of us who play Wolf and it is a great way to kill some time. It also helps with team bonding,” Kane explained. “When they put that wolf card in, you have to start lying and it is not easy, so I think I am a better villager than I am a wolf.

“There are definitely a few who are better than me at deceiving people.”

Other moves Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold appeared to have worked on in training included one that saw them shake hands, point their fingers in an upwards motion and take it in turns to blow on their hands as if trying to put out a flame.

With England failing to score a second against Serbia, it remains to be seen if Bellingham, Alexander-Arnold – or indeed any members of the squad – have any other celebrations up their sleeves.

Sunday’s offering brought back memories of the famous ‘dentist’s chair’ from Euro 1996 after Paul Gascogine’s wonder-goal against Scotland at Wembley and Peter Crouch’s ‘robot’ a decade later.

Judging by the performance of the rest of the England team against Serbia, they may need to see more of Bellingham’s celebration in the coming weeks if they are to finally end 58 years of hurt by triumphing in Germany.