England got off to a winning start in their World Cup group by thrashing Iran 6-2, and there’s no doubt that 19-year-old Jude Bellingham was one of the players who stole the show.
Fabrizio Romano, writing in the Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside’s Substack, made it clear that he feels Bellingham is now showing that he’s more than just a player with potential, he’s already one of the best midfielders in the world.
Liverpool are known to be making Bellingham a top transfer target for next summer, and performances like this one on the biggest stage show precisely why the former Birmingham City youngster is rated so highly.
Romano was also impressed with how Harry Maguire performed, though he expects there might be a role for Phil Foden in England’s upcoming games.
“Maguire had a great game, also I think we can say that Bellingham is now 100% to be considered one of the best midfielders in the world. It’s not just about the potential, he’s really special. I think Foden will have a chance in the next days,” Romano said.
England reached the semi-finals of the World Cup four years ago, but they were also beaten finalists at last year’s European Championships, so they’ll hope the likes of Bellingham can help them go a step further and finally win a trophy this year.
If Bellingham continues to perform like this, Liverpool fans will certainly be excited, though Romano also added that performing in this competition will just add to his price tag.
“Players’ value will inevitably go up if they have a good World Cup,” Romano said. “This is good for Borussia Dortmund; this is why they didn’t want to discuss selling Bellingham for €100m weeks ago, they knew there could be a chance of demanding more after the World Cup. I think this will prove to be a smart move.”