Maturing Bellingham puts ego aside

It’s hard to believe now but Jude Bellingham’s place in the England squad was in the balance as recently as a year ago. But in a remarkable turnaround he is already being talked about as an all-time great.

The Real Madrid midfielder was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s Lions squad and his place at the World Cup was in doubt, with the German head coach saying Bellingham wouldn’t get star treatment.

But Bellingham did of course make the World Cup squad and was one of England’s supreme performers, finishing as England’s top scorer with seven goals as they reached the semi-finals and finished third.

He has already shown world class talent, starring for club and country, but the way he helped England dismantle Croatia 7-0 in the Nations League on Saturday raised his global standing to another level.

Bellingham scored as well as added a hat-trick of assists in another dominant display of skill and guile.

It had the likes of former Manchester United legend Roy Keane gushing about his ability. Keane said: “He has been fantastic in possession, but what he does out of possession lifts all these other players.”

Bellingham, recently voted England’s player of the year for the second year in a row, despite the brilliance of captain Harry Kane, is now “nailed on as the 10” for the future, former England defender Matt Upson told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Record goal scorer Harry Kane scored twice, as did Bukayo Saka, with Anthony Gordon scoring and assisting too. Morgan Rogers got the other.

In moving to 89 goals for England, Kane again showed how irreplaceable he is, but, when he was rested with 20 minutes to go, it was 23-year-old Bellingham who took the captain’s armband.

And that highlighted the youngster’s importance as a leader within the squad. It also cemented the fact that Tuchel was right to reign in his ego last year which is why there is a new-found maturity in Bellingham. It all augurs well for England for the next decade at least.