Soccer-Elliott pays the price for 'silly' knee slide celebrating England U21 goal


Soccer Football - UEFA Under 21 Championship - Semi Final - England v Netherlands - Tehelne pole, Bratislava, Slovakia - June 25, 2025 England's Harvey Elliott celebrates after the match REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa

(Reuters) -Harvey Elliott may have to rethink his goal celebrations after the midfielder was left wincing in pain from a knee slide following the first of his two strikes in England's 2-1 win over the Netherlands in the European Under-21 Championship semi-finals.

Elliott's knee got stuck on the pitch at the Tehelne Pole stadium in Bratislava, Slovakia, and he fell over sideways, but got up and continued celebrating as England took the lead after the hour mark on Wednesday.

Netherlands equalised through Noah Ohio 10 minutes later but Elliott delivered the winner in the 86th minute to set up a final against Germany on Saturday.

“I don’t know what I’ve done to my knee, but it's hurting," player of the match Elliott told Channel 4.

"So hopefully it’s nothing too silly. It’s a silly decision from me, to be honest, but it’s just one of them, live in the moment.

“You do these things, but I forgot the pitch was ridiculously dry and it is the price I have to pay.”

(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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