Jude Victor William Bellingham is simply phenomenal. If we were to fill this article with just those words, it would certainly be feasible. But those words alone won’t do Bellingham’s incredible footballing gifts, maturity, and character any sort of justice. It’s not enough to give him his deserved acclaim, or flowers.
This 19-year-old player is truly a special talent, one marked for greatness, a midfielder unlike any this great nation has possessed arguably since Gazza or Bryan Robson. Or is there any reason to argue why the Borussia Dortmund sensation can’t be better than those two England greats?
While it may seem far-fetched to some, or whether it’s best to tone down the Bellingham hype, and not place too much pressure on his young broad shoulders, the aura in which he is performing on football’s grandest stage, there’s simply not enough superlatives to describe arguably England’s best talent find for a long while.
To make historic references, remember Gascoigne’s Italia 90 moment? Michael Owen’s in France 98′ or Wayne Rooney’s at Euro 2004? Well in 30 years, we could certainly put Jude Bellingham in Qatar 2022 amongst the historic conversation. The 19-year-old is certainly placing himself amongst one of the most single individual World Cup moments for an England international, moments on the biggest stage of the beautiful game which define certain players as that of a national hero.
In England’s four games so far in Qatar, Bellingham has risen to every challenge put in his path. While England now possess a plethora of prodigious young talents, the 19-year-old is certainly stealing the limelight, head and shoulders above everyone else. He is in fact, right now the iconic young phenomenon in British sport. That’s what excelling at a World Cup gives you, a stage so bright that even the most resolute and humble of superstars will shirk at. That isn’t Bellingham.
England’s opening game against Iran saw Bellingham become the nation’s second youngest scorer at the FIFA World Cup (19 years, 145 days) behind only Michael Owen in 1998 (18 years, 190 days), grabbing his first goal at his first World Cup for the country. While England were changing tides four years ago in Russia, Bellingham turned 15. Four years on he is now the young footballing icon, on which England will build their foundation for a bright and decorated future.
His performance against Iran was a superb way to kick off his future World Cup exploits, but it was his latest masterclass against Senegal on Sunday night which has surely placed him in England’s World Cup individual showstopping folklore. A performance which further confirmed why the 19-year-old is the most coveted footballer in the world right now.
England’s second goal in their 3-0 win over Senegal, just before half-time, the goal that certainly put the African champions to bed, was a pure Jude Bellingham moment. A moment of showstopping brilliance, a moment in which so many of the world’s most prestigious superstars both past and present have used as a reference point for the unheralded greatness later on in their careers.
Against Senegal, Bellingham provided his own reference. It wasn’t his only moment too. His assist for Jordan Henderson to open the scoring after a lacklustre opening 35 minutes from England was pure brilliance. At a time when England desperately needed a spark, someone to grab responsibility in the final third. Just as he’s done time and time again in Germany, Bellingham did just that. Breaking from midfield and cutting open the Senegal defence, latching onto a Harry Kane through ball before supplying Henderson with a perfectly weighted pass across the penalty area, a moment Southgate expected from him and one he needed as the Three Lions searched for an opener.
The second goal was the best of the lot. A swift and incisive counter attack which totally ravaged and drained any kind of confidence Senegal had of clawing themselves back into the game. It was a moment of pure individual midfield genius from Bellingham to kick off the move. Intercepting a poor touch from Pathé Ciss, the 19-year-old underwent a delightful trademark run, carrying the ball with such grace, assuredness and confidence, skillfully and deceptively evading a slack challenge from Youssouf Sabaly before finding a Phil Foden with a superbly timed pass which the Manchester City swiftly laid on a plate for Harry Kane to clinically net his first goal of the tournament.
The goal was a pure cinematic moment. One which many will look back on as one of the finest of this year’s World Cup edition. And it all derived from Bellingham’s tremendous anticipation, decorated artistry in driving with the ball at his majestic feat and picking a pass with great measure of control and purpose leading to an emphatic and successful transition.
My word, Bellingham can move. He is a sight to behold. Many midfielders his age would shirk from such a responsibility, playing an untimely pass or running into trouble. Again, that isn’t Bellingham’s nature. He performs such actions with unbridled confidence, immeasurable grace and a decisiveness that places him as one of the world’s most complete and finest young midfielders.
It is why he is so hugely coveted, the envy of many of his positional peers.
It’s certainly been a remarkable World Cup campaign so far for the teenager, one which will certainly see his stock spiral at an incredible rate. He’s provided a goal and an assist in four games, and he’s also won the most tackles of any player in the competition (11), also registered the second most goal-creating actions (5) of any behind Kylian Mbappe, ranks eighth for goal-creating actions per 90 (1.39) and ranks joint-seventh in the competition for progressive passes received. He became the second teenager ever to start for England in a World Cup knockout fixture – after an 18-year-old Michael Own did so with devastating aplomb against Argentina in 1998.
Bellingham is making history, he’s developing, maturing and more importantly performing on the grandest stage and that only means great news for his club Borussia Dortmund. They now have the marketable right to add a few more figures on to the 19-year-old’s price tag. There’s no doubt about it, Bellingham will eventually surpass Jack Grealish as the most expensive British footballer in the history of the game.
We’re talking about figures well over £100million.
According to reports, Dortmund want no less that £130m next summer in 2023. That’s a hefty fee, but for any of Europe’s elite clubs courting his services, they know and are confident that Bellingham would be worth every penny, a player who could grace a top level side for the next decade, and that’s why he is in no shortage of suitors. For Bellingham himself, and indeed his family, they know how good he is and how great he can become but that will come with a significant headache for the 19-year-old.
You could argue Bellingham is so good that he himself doesn’t even know what his next step is, which club will hand him with the perfect platform to develop further and thrive at the highest level in club – and that is winning the Champions League in the near future as well as dominating domestically.
Competition for his signature from January right through to the summer will be incredibly fierce. Liverpool, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea all retain a strong interest.
Jurgen Klopp will certainly be on a rampage mission to transform and address an ageing midfield, and Bellingham ticks all the right boxes for the German coach. He’s a sheer dynamic, enthusiastic and energetic presence in midfield, and his style suits Klopp’s high-intensity approach right down to a tee. The big question mark over Bellingham and Liverpool is whether the Reds would have the financial ability to compete against other top clubs for the England star. With owners FSG currently exploring ways to sell the club, there is certainly uncertainty as to how Klopp will be funded for viable recruits to freshen up his squad, especially players in the ilk of Bellingham.
Manchester City certainly wouldn’t have any issue meeting Dortmund’s financial demands when it comes to Bellingham, and having already added goal machine Erling Haaland and centre-back Manuel Akanji from the Bundesliga outfit last summer, the two clubs have a decent relationship. Though, many are stating that Bellingham joining Guardiola in the blue-half of Manchester represents a “cheat code” in that the Citizens will be guaranteed numerous Premier League titles because of their quality-littered squad.
Pep Guardiola has not hidden his admiration for Bellingham in the past, having hailed him as the “whole package” earlier in the season after City met Dortmund in the Champions League.
And so the Premier League champions have to be considered one of the front runners when it comes to potentially signing the England star, especially when you look at their current midfield. Gundogan isn’t getting any younger, and will need replacing + Bernardo Silva looks to be on the move in the future with La Liga Barcelona maintaining a strong interest in the Portuguese magician. Considering those factors, Bellingham seems a superb fit for City.
For Erik Ten Hag and Manchester United, the Red Devils are in a rebuild phase under the former Ajax coach and are in desperate need for some refreshing in the centre of midfield. Christian Eriksen and Casemiro have been excellent additions to Ten Hag’s side adding control, composure, world class quality and experience in the middle but an ingredient is missing. Bellingham is that man, a player who will give Ten Hag the dynamic, marauding and progressive component in the middle.
The 19-year-old being the next poster boy addition for Manchester United makes perfect sense, considering his stature, ceiling and incredible potential but whether Bellingham would want to move to a club that is currently undergoing a rebuild is unclear. Though, reports suggest that the Red Devils are out of the race for his signature:
The next move for the midfielder is certainly a big one. He will have his pick of the top clubs in the world next summer, so it feels unlikely he would opt for a team who might not be ready to compete for the biggest trophies.
Chelsea are arguably in the same boat as Manchester United, in rebuild mode after Graham Potter’s appointment. There is a clear need to freshen up an ageing squad with some top young talent, especially in the centre of the pitch. With Jorginho and N’Golo Kante’s contracts due to expire at the end of the season and Denis Zakaria expected to return to Juventus following his loan spell at Stamford Bridge, midfield reinforcements are desperately required
So Bellingham would be perfect for them, and given the way the west London club operated in the summer market, you would expect they will push very hard to try and win the race for the England star. However, securing Bellingham’s signature comes with conditions and that is playing Champions League football, and there’s no guarantees the Blues will be in an around those spots come May, considering their poor form heading into the World Cup break.
Real Madrid will certainly be in the mix too, and see Bellingham as the final piece in their midfield rebuild with Luka Modric and Toni Kroos still at the club following Casemiro’s move to Manchester United last summer.
Madrid have spent the past few years snapping up some of the game’s top young talent, with Aurélien Tchouaméni joining from Monaco last summer and Eduardo Camavinga arriving from Rennes a year earlier.
The prospect of Bellingham joining those two at the Bernabeu at the end of the season is a frightening one, and Madrid are known to be hopeful of turning that dream into a reality. Though, Madrid also have the youthful and incredibly talented services of Federico Valverde so is there a need for Bellingham? Nonetheless, Europe’s most successful club are always looking to land the best superstars and it would be no surprise to see them do all they can to see off all of their rivals in the battle for the 19-year-old. Don’t rule out Paris Saint-Germain also, considering their wealthy Qatari transfer chest.
One thing is for sure, Bellingham holds a hugely significant, decorated and successful future in his hands, no matter the club he joins next summer. When you possess the maturity, character and drive he’s got, at the tender of age 19, you are certainly destined for greatness, to reach the pinnacle of the game.
This is a future Ballon D’or winner, a player certainly capable of becoming the best midfield player on the planet. He’s complete, a jack-of-all trades type performer, and the envy of many of Europe’s elite clubs. Bellingham is another great find for England, arguably the most decorated and prestigious. Finally we possess a talent amongst other talents capable of emulating past greats by leading the nation to a first World Cup triumph since 1966. He is just three wins away from achieving legendary status at just 19.
Can he do it? We’ll certainly see, but for now England fans will be soaking in the awe and excitement in possessing such a wonderfully gifted and unique footballing talent.
Next up on the agenda for the Three Lions will be current world champions France in the quarter-finals on Saturday, in which big performances will be required and Bellingham is certainly plotting another major assualt on his path to footballing greatness. What a player.
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