Graham Ruthven | Jude Bellingham has the potential to become England’s greatest-ever player

ENGLISH players haven’t always succeeded at Real Madrid. Jonathan Woodgate scored an own goal and was sent off on his Los Blancos debut while David Beckham was never truly embraced by the Santiago Bernabeu fanbase either. Jude Bellingham, however, has quickly made himself a Real Madrid superstar.

Bellingham has scored 10 goals in his first 10 games for the Spanish giants. Three of those 10 goals have been late winners with Real Madrid sitting top of the La Liga table as a direct result of the 20-year-old’s attacking output so far this season. With Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe still to find their best form, Bellingham might currently be the best player in the world.

He has the potential to become England’s greatest-ever player too. Not since Wayne Rooney announced himself as the best young player of his generation at Euro 2004 has an English youngster made such a profound impact at the elite level of the sport. Bellingham could be the best England has ever produced.

Jude Bellingham’s La Liga record so far:

🏟️ 7 games⚽ 6 goals🅰️ 2 assists⚔️ 6.7 ground duels won per game🏃 4 ball recoveries per game🔑 1.9 key passes per game

What a start to his Real Madrid career. 💫 pic.twitter.com/Nt7a70qA3v

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) October 6, 2023

As a modern midfielder, Bellingham is the complete package at the age of just 20. Physically and technically, he is among the very best. He also possesses an inherent awareness of space in the attacking third of the pitch – how many times does Bellingham find himself in a scoring position inside the box? It’s not luck. He knows where to be at the right time.

On top of this, Bellingham is a natural leader. This was apparent at the 2022 World Cup when the midfielder led the way for England on the pitch. Harry Kane might have worn the captain’s armband in Qatar, but Bellingham was more vocal in his leadership. Some youngsters shrink under pressure. Bellingham, however, grows. He puffs out his chest.

Carlo Ancelotti has used Bellingham as an attack-minded figure in behind a front two for Real Madrid this season. Karim Benzema’s surprise departure to Saudi Arabia might have forced his hand, but this role has unlocked the full potential of Bellingham’s game. He is now more influential than ever before. Bellingham is dominating matches.

“He’s finding a lot of opportunities in attack and the fact that he doesn’t have a fixed position on the pitch, he does a lot of damage to opponents and nobody expected this level in terms of goals,” said Ancelotti after Bellingham scored twice in a 4-0 win over Osasuna. “It’s easier to study and analyse a player who has his position fixed and he doesn’t, so the truth is that it’s very difficult to defend him well.”

JUDE BELLINGHAM TAKE A BOW! 👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/48waXBD1E8

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 3, 2023

With England all but sure of their place at Euro 2024 next summer, Gareth Southgate must start preparations for the tournament with the upcoming fixtures against Australia and Italy. Bellingham must just’t be a central pillar of the England team that will play in Germany, but of the team that will be play at every major tournament for the next decade.

Too often in the past England have failed to harness their best players. Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, for example, were among their generation’s best midfielders at club level, but rarely replicated that form for their country. The Three Lions can’t allow this to happen with Bellingham. They must build around him.

England are a traditional superpower of the sport, but the country has never produced a Lionel Messi or a Pele. There have been great English players – see Harry Kane, Rooney, Alan Shearer, Sir Bobby Charlton and others – but Bellingham is currently operating at a level very few from his homeland have reached. There’s no reason to believe he can’t stay there for the rest of his career.