Forget About Haaland and Mbappé: Let’s Talk About Jude Bellingham
With the Messi-CR7 decade of domination finally coming to a close, everyone is now turning their attention to who the stars of the next generation will be. Generally, two names come up: Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé. While both of these players more than deserve to be in this conversation, you would be foolish to not include Jude Bellingham in this mix.
The 20-year-old English midfielder is in a class of his own. He showed it at Borussia Dortmund, captaining and leading the German side to what looked like a Bundesliga title before a catastrophic collapse on the final day when Bellingham was injured on the bench. If you thought his move to Real Madrid would slow him down, you could not have been more wrong.
He has been Madrid’s shining star so far this season. In four La Liga games, he has scored five goals and provided one assist. For comparison, Haaland, a striker, has six goals in four games; Mbappé has scored five in three games. Bellingham, a midfielder, is hanging with the two most high-profile attackers in Europe right now in terms of goal production.
He is also a maestro in the midfield. He has the technical ability to drive past opposition players, pushing the ball into dangerous positions with ease, and when he gets into dangerous positions, you would be hard-pressed to find more than a handful or players who can complete the final balls that Bellingham can.
He’s not just an attacking threat either. Bellingham can defend well in the midfield, tackling oncoming opposition midfielders and intercepting balls due to his positioning. At 6-foot-1, he is also a serious aerial threat.
While all of this is impressive, this is not what makes Bellingham the player he is. There are plenty of elite players who are good in attack. There are plenty who can score and there are plenty who are just as technical as Bellingham.
What makes the England international stand out is his will, his grit and his desire. No matter how much he gets fouled, no matter how much he gets harassed, he always wants the ball. He always wants to be involved; he demands nothing but the best from his teammates and from himself, and this attitude is why he has come so far at such a young age.
This is why Bellingham needs to be included in the conversation for the world’s next superstars alongside Haaland and Mbappé. He has a mentality that cannot be taught, and when you combine this with his incredible ability as a footballer, then you have yourself the world-class player that Bellingham already is.
I am just going to throw this out there. Jude Bellingham could very easily win the Ballon d’Or. Not only that, but he could do it soon if he keeps playing like he does for Real Madrid and they win both the La Liga and Champions League titles. It would also help if then England wins the Euros this summer with England–then he will win the Ballon d’Or. I know this is a lot to ask from a 20-year-old, but Bellingham is no ordinary young player.
People need to give Jude Bellingham the respect he deserves. He is already one of the best players in the world, and in the next few years, he is going to show why you should include him in the conversation for the BEST player in the world.
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