Fair enough, there is a precedent.
In Spain, both Cristiano Ronaldo and a chap called Diego Simeone, the head coach of Atletico Madrid, have both been fined for making the “big balls” celebration.
They did it in the same tie, the Champions League confrontation between Juventus and Atletico in 2019. So UEFA do have form for coming down on what they see as an obscene gesture. But come on.
This was a massive goal to secure a massive result. One that most certainly saved the job of the England boss Gareth Southgate. The gesture indicates character, nerves of steel, the ability to keep heads when all around the England players are losing theirs.
Such is Bellingham’s monster popularity across Europe, he almost certainly won’t be the last footballer performing it. He has every reason to after winning trophies for his former German club side Borussia Dortmund and over the past ten months at his new club, Real Madrid.
Again, the context is all important. So many seasoned football watchers feared he’d be too young to make an impact in his first season at the biggest club in the world before his 21st birthday.
Having interviewed him personally he is an inspirational young man not given to deliberately causing offence. Quite the opposite. He is from fantastic stock with a maturity far beyond his years.
Let’s hope UEFA stay consistent and fine him - as they did with Simeone and Ronaldo - and don’t ban Bellingham as the Saudi Pro League did to Cristiano when he did it in February. England’s star man has more business to attend to in Germany.