AL WAKRAH, Qatar — When England arrived back at their Al Wakrah base in the early hours of Monday morning after beating Senegal 3-0 in the World Cup round of 16, they were greeted by what has become a customary welcome party of dancing hotel staff and loud music. Jack Grealish shuffled in delight; Mason Mount‘s beaming smile lit up the room. Somewhere in the melee, Jude Bellingham politely, but pointedly just walked straight through, saying “I’ve got no moves.”
The rest of the world would disagree. In fact, it’s virtually the only time Bellingham has not taken centre stage since arriving in Qatar. Ahead of a quarterfinal meeting with defending champions France on Saturday, the 19-year-old is threatening to become the tournament’s breakout star, revolutionising England’s midfield with a series of dynamic displays, all while appearing delightfully oblivious to the magnitude of the occasion.
Bellingham was hardly an unknown prior to this World Cup, having progressed rapidly in the past 2½ years at Borussia Dortmund. His maturity was recognised in October by being named captain for multiple matches and becoming the youngest skipper ever to score in the Champions League against Sevilla.
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Former club Birmingham City retired his No. 22 shirt when he departed in the summer of 2020, choosing Dortmund over Manchester United. Birmingham were ridiculed at the time because the teenage Bellingham had been in the first-team for just one season, but it’s starting to look like due recognition of the unique talent they had unearthed.
It is always a sign of the impression a player is making on a global scale when journalists from around the world arrive at England news conferences and ask about one individual. Time and again, the focus in Qatar has been on Bellingham and consequently, those within the camp have tried to play it down.
Phil Foden was a prime example of trying and failing to toe the party line in seeking to avoid the sort of hyperbole that could heap pressure on a teenager still making his way in the game. “I don’t want to big him up too much because he is still young,” Foden began after another Bellingham masterclass against Senegal, before adding: “But he’s one of the most gifted players I have ever seen. He has no weakness in his game. I think he will be the best midfielder in the world.”
Foden isn’t the only one who can’t help but get carried away. “I always say he’s the future, but he’s the present,” said winger Bukayo Saka, while England captain Harry Kane describes Bellingham’s game as one with “no weakness.”
Even Steve Holland, Gareth Southgate’s mild-mannered and considered assistant, marvelled at Bellingham’s all-round contribution at this tournament. “There’s only three things that you can do in football: stop goals, make goals, score goals,” he said on Monday. “That’s how you contribute. Jude can do all of those things. And recently, he has begun to score goals which is the bit that makes the biggest players big. It’s a match-winning ability that he is adding to his game.”
