Since taking over as England manager eight years ago, Gareth Southgate has successfully brought together a previously divided side.

England’s ‘Golden Generation’ of the 2000s have often confessed that there were cliques in camp when they got together, with club loyalty getting in the way of developing team spirit.

The Three Lions now have a cohesive team, especially with Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold developing a bromance.

The pair, who have been linked with model girlfriends, have been inseparable at the Euros. Bellingham is reportedly linked with 25-year-old Dutch influencer Laura Celia Valk, while Alexander-Arnold, 25, is dating British actor Jude Law’s daughter, Iris, 23. Their connection is only growing stronger on the pitch.

Bellingham, who played in England’s midfield for their Euro 2024 opener against Serbia on Sunday, was the star of the game, scoring the only goal to give his team the victory.

Jude Bellingham (right) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (left) revealed their new celebration on Sunday, and their bromance is developing at Euro 2024.

 

Reports have claimed Bellingham is in a relationship with Dutch influencer Laura Celia Valk (pictured)

 

Alexander-Arnold is dating Jude Law’s daughter, Iris (above), who is also an actor.

After nodding home Bukayo Saka’s cross from close range, Bellingham, 20, rejoiced with his teammates.

As the rest of the players jogged back at the restart, Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold remained behind to display their new united celebration.

Both men knelt down on one knee and covered their faces with their hands. Bellingham later revealed that it was a reference to the game Wolf, often known as Werewolf, which is a popular pastime among the England squad.

This card game, based on Dimitry Davidoff’s 1986 roleplaying game Mafia, demands deception and strategic thinking. It is thought to have inspired the popular BBC One show The Traitors.

Bellingham told the BBC, ‘When we play Wolf, one of the staff loves that face when he doesn’t know what is going on, so that was a small collective celebration for the Wolf crew.

However, the couple has been working on more choreography than just their celebration. Ahead of England’s match against Serbia, Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold were spotted honing a new amusing handshake ritual, leaving defender Ezri Konsa smiling in the background.

A video released online shows the couple shaking hands, pointing their fingers upwards, and then taking turns blowing on their hands as if trying to extinguish a flame.

England’s players have been playing Wolf since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when fans first saw Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold’s friendship.

Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold were seen perfecting a new handshake in training, with Ezri Konsa watching on in the background

 

Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold went for a stroll together in Qatar, with supporters believing the Liverpool player was trying to encourage Jude to join him at Anfield.

As the tournament began, Bellingham emerged as England’s top performer, sparking discussion about his future at Borussia Dortmund. He was expected to leave at the end of the season.

Liverpool and Real Madrid appeared to be in pole position to sign him, and some supporters were sure Alexander-Arnold was doing his best to bring Bellingham over to Anfield when the two went for a stroll together in Qatar.

Alexander-Arnold said he was “just going out with a mate,” but he was subsequently branded ‘Agent Trent’. The two players were seldom far apart throughout England’s stint in the Middle East.

After the tournament, they reunited for a Chris Brown performance a few months later.

But if Alexander-Arnold was attempting to persuade his pal to join Liverpool, he eventually failed. Bellingham’s decision to join Real Madrid proved successful, as he won both LaLiga and the Champions League in his first season.

Supporters accuse Alexander-Arnold of ‘flirting’ with Madrid after choosing two club legends as fantasy dinner guests.

After selecting Steven Gerrard, the midfielder added Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo to his list of preferred players.

 

The pair were virtually inseparable at the 2022 World Cup, and that hasn’t changed since

 

Bellingham eventually went on to join Real Madrid, and was a great hit, winning LaLiga and the Champions League in his debut season with the club.

Alexander-Arnold’s contract with Liverpool expires in one year, and with Jurgen Klopp’s departure, he may seek a new challenge outside of his hometown club.

If that is the case, Bellingham may be speaking to him in Germany, and the two men have undoubtedly spent a lot of time together in training.

Ahead of England’s match against Serbia, Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold were spotted honing a new amusing handshake ritual, leaving defender Ezri Konsa smiling in the background.

They exchanged a joke on the training pitch and performed well in England’s opener in Gelsenkirchen, leaving them smiling.

Bellingham dominated the game, while Alexander-Arnold demonstrated why Southgate wants him in his team, despite playing in an unfamiliar midfield position. Of course, the night was rounded out by their eye-catching celebration.

The celebration was repeated in training on Tuesday, with Declan Rice serving as a photographer to capture the scene. If either player scores against Denmark on Thursday, we may expect to see it again.

 

The pair recreated their celebration from the Serbia game in training on Tuesday

Questions have been raised over Alexander-Arnold’s ability to play in midfield against top-level opposition, but Bellingham leapt to the defence of his team-mate after Sunday’s match, claiming ‘people talk a lot of rubbish’.

Southgate has a big call to make on whether to stick with Alexander-Arnold. If he does, we can only expect the link-up between Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold to get even better, as they are clearly on the same wavelength.