With England survival at stake, Jude Bellingham creates one of the great moments of Euro 2024

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Jude Bellingham needed to produce something special to keep England at Euro 2024.

Right on cue, Bellingham’s spectacular overhead kick in the fifth of six added minutes sent Sunday's game into extra time, and Harry Kane sealed a 2-1 win that keeps alive England’s hopes of a first major trophy since 1966.

England was seconds away from slumping to one of the biggest upsets in the history of the European Championship when trailing 1-0 to Slovakia deep into stoppage time in the round of 16.

“I think it was 30 or 20 seconds until we were out of the European Championship,” Bellingham said. “It’s hard to deny that it was one of the most important moments of my career so far.”

He’s had a few.

The midfielder, who turned 21 on Saturday, has just completed a stunning debut season at Real Madrid, winning the Champions League and the Spanish title.

At such a young age, he is already one of England’s most important players and delivered a moment of magic when all hope seemed lost.

“His world is different to pretty much every other 21-year-old in the world... what he can provide are these moments where he grabs things by the scruff of the neck and his character and his personality creates moments that can change a big game,” said England manager Gareth Southgate, who admitted he thought a tired-looking Bellingham was “out on his feet” 15 minutes before the end of regulation time.

England - one of the pre-tournament favorites and runner-up at the last Euros - trailed to 45th-ranked Slovakia after Ivan Schranz’s 25th-minute goal.

With the clock running down, Bellingham’s time came.

Kyle Walker launched a long throw from the right. Marc Guehi leapt to flick the ball on.

Bellingham was in the box and had to readjust his body to execute a perfect overhead kick, sending the ball into the bottom corner to leave Slovakia goalkeeper Martin Dubravka stuck on his line as he watched it nestle into the back of the net.

Some England fans had already left the stadium. Those inside erupted.

“I had a funny feeling the game wasn’t dead and I know that sounds ridiculous. We were pushing and probing,” Southgate said.

Bellingham’s goal was England’s first shot on target in the match.

It didn’t have to wait long for its second as Kane headed home to score his seventh goal in his last seven knockout games at major tournaments. It was also a record-extending 65th for his country.

England will play Switzerland in the quarterfinals in Duesseldorf on Saturday.

But for so long it looked like being a humbling exit for Southgate’s team — bringing back memories of its elimination at the hands of Iceland at Euro 2016.

“It’s knockout football and anything is possible,” Southgate said.

England had faced fierce criticism for its performances in the group stage and boos rang around the stadium in the first half as frustration grew among its fans following Schranz’s strike.

It needed to improve in the second half. Phil Foden had a goal ruled out by VAR, Kane headed wide from close range and Declan Rice hit the post in the 81st.

Slovakia had already produced a shock by beating No.3-ranked Belgium in the group stage and it looked like doing it again against the No. 5-ranked team in the world.

That was until Bellingham struck.

“They scored a goal from a player who is valued at 100 million euros. This was a team worth 1.5 billion (euros). You concede just half a meter and you will get punished,” Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona said.

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024

England's Harry Kane, right, jumps for the ball with Slovakia's Milan Skriniar during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

England's Harry Kane, left, and Jude Bellingham stand on the pitch during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and John Stones, left, react after Slovakia's Ivan Schranz scored the opening goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Slovakia's Ivan Schranz celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

England's manager Gareth Southgate applauds fans with his teammate at the end of the round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Slovakia players lie on the pitch after a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

England's Harry Kane, second left, scores his side's second goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

England's Jude Bellingham, right, scores his side's first goal with an overhead kick during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

England's Harry Kane, right, celebrates with John Stones after scoring his side's second goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

England's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford reacts after Jude Bellingham scored their first goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

England's Harry Kane, center left, scores his side's second goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

England's Harry Kane, centre, scores his side's second goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

England's Jude Bellingham celebrates after his teammate Harry Kane scores his side's second goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

England's Jude Bellingham celebrates after his teammate Harry Kane scores his side's second goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

England's Jude Bellingham, left, celebrates with Harry Kane after scoring his side's first goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Slovakia's Ivan Schranz (26) scores past England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, left, during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Slovakia's Ivan Schranz celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Slovakia's Ivan Schranz, left, celebrates with Slovakia's Juraj Kucka after scoring his side's opening goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

England's Harry Kane, left, celebrates with Jude Bellingham after scoring his side's second goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

England's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during a round of sixteen match between England and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

LONDON (AP) — Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will play only doubles at his last appearance at the All England Club following his withdrawal from singles on Tuesday, just over a week after back surgery.

The 37-year-old Murray pulled out of the singles competition hours before he was supposed to play Tomas Machac on Centre Court.

“Unfortunately, despite working incredibly hard on his recovery since his operation just over a week ago, Andy has taken the very difficult decision not to play the singles this year,” his management team said in a statement. “As you can imagine, he is extremely disappointed but has confirmed that he will be playing in the doubles with Jamie and looks forward to competing at Wimbledon for the last time.”

Murray had surgery on June 22 to remove a cyst from his spinal cord.

Murray has said he wants to retire after the Paris Olympics, which start later this month.

He has dealt with injuries in recent years, including a bad hip that required two procedures.

Murray stopped playing during a second-round match at the grass-court tournament at Queen’s Club in London last month because he was having trouble walking. He later explained that the cyst was compressing a nerve in his back and leaving his right leg numb.

Murray owns three major championships: The U.S. Open in 2012 and Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016. His 2013 title made him the first British man to win the Wimbledon singles in 77 years.

He reached No. 1 in the ATP rankings and is the only player with two consecutive tennis gold medals in Olympic singles. He won at London in 2012 — when the Summer Games matches were at the All England Club — and at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Murray underwent hip operations in 2018 and 2019. While he thought he would need to retire after the second surgery, in which he received a metal hip implant, Murray eventually returned to action.

He has since been hampered by various issues, including tearing ligaments in his left ankle at the Miami Open in March.

Murray lost in the first round of the French Open in May.

He had been practicing in recent days at the All England Club and undergoing medical tests to see whether he would be able to compete at what was expected to be his farewell to Wimbledon.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Britain's Andy Murray on the practice court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, Saturday June 29, 2024. The Wimbledon Championships begin on July 1. (John Walton/PA via AP)

Britain's Andy Murray and his coaching team on the practice court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, Saturday June 29, 2024. The Wimbledon Championships begin on July 1. (John Walton/PA via AP)