Home Football England players were targeted with lasers during their Nations League match against Greece, as bright green lights were seen aimed at Jude Bellingham and his teammates

England players were targeted with lasers during their Nations League match against Greece, as bright green lights were seen aimed at Jude Bellingham and his teammates

Football — 11/15/2024

England’s players were targeted by lasers from the Greek crowd during Thursday night’s Nations League match.

The Three Lions faced a must-win game in Athens to rebound from their previous 2-1 home loss to Greece and take the top spot in their group.

Bellingham was targeted plenty of times by the home crowd during Thursday night's clash

Determined to support Greece, the home crowd tried to distract England’s key players like Jude Bellingham by shining lasers at them.

At one point, bright green lasers were directed at Bellingham as he ran towards goal, seemingly to throw him off.

Jordan Pickford was among those who had to squint past the bright green light shone at them

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was also hit by lasers during the game. Despite the crowd’s interference, England took an early 1-0 lead when Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins scored from close range, following debates over his selection in the starting lineup.

England's stars were targeted by lasers from the Greece crowd in their Nations League clash

In a notable decision, manager Lee Carsley opted to start Watkins over England captain Harry Kane, later explaining the choice.

“It was important to give Ollie Watkins the opportunity. Experiencing a night like this is fantastic for him,” Carsley said. “This team needs to build leaders, and giving them these chances is part of that.”

It didn't stop the Three Lions from racing into a 1-0 advantage after just six minutes

On Kane’s reaction, Carsley added, “He’s fine. He wants to play, but his attitude has been fantastic. Giving other players a chance is crucial, and I’m sure Ollie will perform well tonight.”