Jack Grealish found himself £500 out of pocket after making a bet with England teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold during their Nations League victory against Finland. The Manchester City star had playfully wagered that the Liverpool defender wouldn’t score from a free-kick – but Alexander-Arnold’s sublime effort in the 74th minute sealed the deal.
England started strong, taking a 1-0 lead thanks to Grealish’s own goal in the first half. However, the highlight of the match came when Alexander-Arnold curled a beautiful free-kick into the top corner, helping England secure a crucial 3-1 win. Declan Rice also contributed with a late goal before Finland’s Arttu Hoskonen scored a consolation for the hosts.
Reflecting on the moment, Grealish humorously admitted: “I told him, if you score this, I’ll give you £500 – and he went and nailed it. Now I owe him.”
This win brought much-needed relief to England after a disappointing 2-1 loss to Greece in their previous game. The victory also moved England into second place in their group, trailing Greece.
Despite some criticism of interim manager Lee Carsley, Grealish came to his defense, praising him as a “top manager” and downplaying the negativity. “Every manager faces criticism,” he said, “but I love playing for him.”
