Jude Bellingham’s transformation from an England omission to a potential leader was underlined by his outstanding display in the 7-0 victory over Croatia in Rijeka.
The Real Madrid midfielder scored once and created three goals before taking the captain’s armband in the closing stages, after Harry Kane was substituted. His performance was one of his most complete for England and suggested he is moving beyond the status of a world-class player.
Bellingham had been left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad in October 2025, raising doubts about his prospects of playing at the World Cup. Tuchel had made clear that the Real Madrid player would not receive special treatment because of his reputation.
However, Bellingham quickly changed the situation. He secured a place in the World Cup squad, became one of England’s leading performers at the tournament and finished as their top scorer with seven goals. England reached the semi-finals and ended the competition in third place.
His latest display led former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland midfielder Roy Keane to suggest Bellingham could reach the very highest level.
“Bellingham can become one of the greatest players of all time,” Keane said on ITV. “He is an amazing footballer at the moment and has the complete package: power when running, accurate passing and the ability to threaten the goal. As he develops, I think we will see more and more from him in the future.”
Former England defender Mat Upson said Bellingham had become the ideal option to play as the national team’s number 10.
Keane also highlighted qualities that go beyond goals and assists. He described Bellingham as “brilliant on the ball”, but said his movement and work when not in possession raised the performance of those around him. Having a player of his stature, performing at a high level for Real Madrid, also provided England with an additional boost, Keane added.
Former England forward Ian Wright praised Bellingham’s physical and attacking contribution, saying he repeatedly drove forward and made runs into the penalty area.
“He was involved in everything,” Wright said, pointing to his strength, technical ability and movement. Bellingham’s regular presence in the box also made him difficult for defenders to track.
The three assists created a new England record for Bellingham. He became the first player to provide three assists in a match for England since Trent Alexander-Arnold against San Marino in November 2021. It was also the first time Bellingham had directly contributed to more than two goals in a game for his country.
England’s attacking quartet shared the spotlight, with Kane and Bukayo Saka scoring twice each, while Anthony Gordon scored one and set up another. Kane’s second goal was his 89th for England before he went off with 20 minutes remaining, handing the armband to Bellingham.
“Yes, it looks that way at the moment, and that is always necessary,” Tuchel said. “You cannot stop at one level; you have to improve and try to reach the next level, otherwise the other teams will catch and overtake you.”
Tuchel said he had made changes after England’s disappointment at the World Cup, giving several players, including Bellingham, greater responsibility.
Saka, who scored his first goal from Bellingham’s precise cross, said: “He was amazing. He deserved player of the year and deserved to be man of the match. He put in an outstanding performance. I am happy to play alongside him and happy to have him in the England team.”
