Jude Bellingham proved he is more than capable of meeting the huge expectations placed on him at Euro 2024 when he headed home England’s winning goal against Serbia on Sunday evening.
The 20-year-old arrived in Germany on the back of a stunning first season at Real Madrid that saw him score 23 goals, earn the La Liga player of the season award and help his side to a domestic league and Champions League double. All while wearing Zinedine Zidane's iconic No.5 shirt.
‘He writes his own script’ was Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate’s verdict after the former Birmingham City man put in an all-action display in the middle of the park against the Serbs.
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Bellingham was a constant thorn in the Serbian side in the opening half, popping up all over the pitch to perform both defensive and attacking duties, with the performance showing just how much the youngster’s game has evolved since he left home soil in 2020 when he swapped St Andrew’s for the Yellow Wall of Borussia Dortmund as a 17-year-old.
First identified as a box-to-box midfielder during his early years at Birmingham, the midfielder has progressed further forward over the past four seasons, as he discussed back in April.
“When I was at Dortmund for three years, first year I played more like a No.6,” he said. “The last two years were more like a No.8. This year, it has been like a No.10.
“I think people are trying very hard to put a stamp on my role and want to call it something specific. I think it’s just a free-roaming midfielder, really.”
Famously, he wore No.22 at Birmingham and Dortmund because it represented his ability as a midfielder to play every position in that area of the pitch - a four, eight and 10.
When FourFourTwo asked his former coach at Birmingham City, Pep Coltet, if this was true, the coach called Bellingham on the spot to clarify, having not been aware of the reason himself.
Bellingham’s first season in Spain has seen him play alongside two of the best midfielders of the 21st century in Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, both of whom have the respect of Bellingham.
“Toni Kroos and Luka Modric play a totally different game,” he added. “They see things before they happen on the pitch and always seem to be so calm.”
Bellingham’s next chance to impress will come on Thursday when England take on Denmark in Frankfurt as the Three Lions look to seal a last-16 spot.
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