Liverpool (AFP) - Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham felt like a “scapegoat” after Euro 2024 but said he has his smile back now ahead of the Champions League clash with Liverpool on Wednesday.

England finished as runners-up to Spain this summer and the 21-year-old was criticised for his performances during the tournament.

Bellingham has also struggled for goals this season with Madrid compared to his heroics last season, but has two strikes in his last two games for Los Blancos.

“When I’ve reviewed the games, I felt like my form has been okay, pretty good to be honest – I just haven’t been scoring goals,” Bellingham told a news conference.

“I think I lost my smile a lot after the Euros when it came to playing for England. I felt like I was a little bit mistreated in comparison to what I contributed.

“I felt like some of it was a bit harsh on me. I think I felt a bit like the scapegoat. Maybe I was feeling a little bit sorry for myself.”

The midfielder wrote on Instagram earlier in November that he was smiling again after recent Nations League matches with the Three Lions and his unhappiness was not because of his difficult start to the season with Madrid.

Los Blancos have played inconsistently and start the fifth round of fixtures 18th in the Champions League group after two defeats in their opening matches.

“In general, I hadn’t lost my smile in the Madrid shirt,” continued Bellingham.

“Obviously I’m annoyed when we lose and I get frustrated and I get upset when we lose, but it’s never a case of not being happy.

“I’m the luckiest lad in the world. I get to play week in, week out for the biggest club in the world and represent my country… the smile is back.”

- ‘Got the smell for it’ -

Bellingham said it felt like “the whole world was crumbling down” on him after the Euros final and that he was annoyed with how media had treated his family during the tournament, including trying to speak to his grandparents.

“My nan didn’t want to leave her house for the whole summer, bless her,” explained Bellingham.

The former Borussia Dortmund star said he was hoping to extend his goalscoring run, even though this season his role has changed with the arrival of striker Kylian Mbappe.

“I arrived last summer and the club lost arguably one of the greatest goal scorers of the generation in Karim Benzema,” he said.

“This year we’ve signed one of the best players of this generation, he’s someone who has scored an amazing amount of goals so as a team we expect him to do that.

“For me, I know then my role differs, which I’m happy to do… (but) I also want to take that responsibility – now I’ve got the smell for it again in these last couple of games.”

Madrid will be without winger Vinicius Junior, who suffered a hamstring injury during the team’s 3-0 win at Leganes in La Liga on Sunday.

Bellingham said it was “a big hit” to lose the Brazilian but insisted the team had to perform regardless against the Champions League group leaders.

“It’s the bare minimum for us to show our fans here at Anfield that we can put on a right face and get a result,” added Bellingham.