Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has heaped praise on Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, backing him to captain England’s national team in the coming years.
Real Madrid Star Jude Bellingham Has The World At His Feet
Bellingham, 20, has dominated headlines since his blockbuster move from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid in July 2023. The England international has captured the attention of every soccer aficionado across the planet, hypnotizing them with world-class performances.
Playing in an advanced midfield role under Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, Bellingham has tapped into the goalscorer in him. He has pitched in with 23 goals and 12 assists in 41 games in all competitions this season, helping Los Blancos to La Liga and Supercopa de Espana glory.
If things go according to plan against Borussia Dortmund in the final on June 1, he will cap off his debut campaign at Real Madrid as a UEFA Champions League winner.
Wayne Rooney Sees Jude Bellingham Captaining England One Day
One of the finest English players in history, Rooney has said that while he always thought highly of Bellingham, he did not expect him to soar so high.
Speaking on The Overlap podcast, the ex-Evertonian said:
“I played against Jude Bellingham when he was 16. I was at Derby and he was at Birmingham. He man-marked me; I was playing deep in midfield controlling the game and he man-marked me.
“I kept dragging him outside and he didn’t like it. What I love about him is that when he goes in for a tackle, he leaves a mark, a bit like I would. I remember after the game thinking he would go far, but I never expected where he is now. ”
Rooney then lauded Bellingham for the shift he put in over 120 minutes in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second-leg against Manchester City, saying even senior players could learn from him.
Backing Bellingham to captain England one day, Rooney added:
“Jude is a player who wants it, has the mentality, and wants to play every minute of every game. I think a great example to any young player or older player is if you watch the Manchester City vs Real Madrid game at the Etihad Stadium. You can see how hard Jude worked for the 120 minutes; he was incredible. The work rate he put into that game was incredible.
“I always believe if you put the work in you will get the rewards and I think he is a future England captain.”
The former Birmingham City man should be one of the first names on Gareth Southgate’s teamsheet for the 2024 European Championship. Bellingham has so far played 29 games for England, scoring thrice.
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