England
Robert J Wilson says the critics should give Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham a break.
When it comes to the England team, Jude Bellingham divides opinions like no other. There is no question that Real Madrid’s attacking midfielder possesses world-class ability that warrants a place in any side.
For fans who follow the game closely – whether analysing performances or checking out the latest betting sites – Bellingham’s influence on matches is impossible to ignore.
But does that come at a hefty price? Does Bellingham bring an unhealthy, toxic mixture to the group?
Does his ego get the better of him? Does he rub people up the wrong way?
Confirmation bias
It seems a section of the British media and supporters have it in for Bellingham. They form their own opinion mainly based on perception.
They question his attitude and look for any little thing to support their confirmation bias. There are some with an obvious agenda.
If that is because of racial connotations, as so vehemently expressed by Ian Wright, it is an extremely sad situation in this day and age.
Surely, creditable journalists would not be daft enough to sink so low, though Wright firmly believes that the national team is not ready for a ‘black superstar’ and there is underlying racism in play.
Whatever the case, there are journalists continuously attempting to drum up an issue with the England coach, Thomas Tuchel.
During World Cup qualification, the ‘antics’ of Bellingham were incessantly brought up in post-match interviews, as to try and create a problem between coach and player.
Bellingham is perceived by some as arrogant, that his ego has run away from him because of his success at a young age.
The labels come thick and fast, and everyone becomes judgmental: The way he celebrates the goals of his team-mates.
The way he reacts to being substituted. His body language is all wrong. He flaps his arms around and berates others.
Scrutinised
His ‘mistakes’ are scrutinised like no other player in an England shirt.
Tuchel is then peppered with questions on Bellingham’s behaviour and whether, with his ‘attitude’, he is worth inclusion in his World Cup squad, because he is a potential ‘bad apple’ in an apparent cart of good ones.
Bellingham is portrayed as an outsider. The Ioner in the group. The one who doesn’t mix too well.
Every time an England International comes around, the Bellingham topic dominates the headlines in the lead-up to the game and then afterwards, too.
It is as if they are waiting for any potential slip-up or mishap to attack him with.
Tuchel’s comments regarding his mother not particularly enjoying Bellingham’s petulant on-pitch behaviour towards officials didn’t help matters.
He later apologised, blaming the context of the translation.
Backfired
It was a case of a newly appointed German coach trying to bring an element of humour to a press conference, but it backfired spectacularly. The damage was done.
It created the idea that perhaps the coach has a ’problem’ with one of his star players. Some of the media jumped all over it and have stoked the fires since.
What is Bellingham’s stance on this rather personal attack? Well, we don’t really know because he has made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t want to speak to the written press when he is away on England duty.
That is nothing new from him, as it is something his parents/advisors have been pretty strict on from the start of his career.
As is his prerogative, Bellingham does not court the press and perhaps that has rubbed a few of them up the wrong way.
They would prefer England’s number 10 to be more accessible. When he is scoring goals or proving to be the game changer, they want quotes to go with their match reports.
They would all crave an exclusive interview with one of the finest players of this modern generation. With him in Madrid, their access to him is limited anyway.
Target on his back
Bellingham is not so accommodating and certain newspapers and journalists do not view that stance with much grace. For some, he now has a target on his back.
Bellingham has, arguably, the biggest world profile in the England squad, so they understandably want to talk to him before and after games.
When he doesn’t bother to stop in the mixed zone, they will go and create their own agenda about him. Painting their own picture. Often, painting the wrong picture.
We tend to forget that Bellingham is still only 22. He is a phenomenon and from minute one looked as though he was born to play for Real Madrid.
He entered a dressing room packed with seasonal professionals – such as Courtois, Carvajal, Rudiger, Modric, Valverde and Tchouameni – with a swagger and unflinching belief in himself.
Bellingham strolled into the Santiago Bernabeu with an ego as big as Vinicius Junior and revelled in the limelight.
Not many young players could inherit Zidane’s famous number 5 and win La Liga and the Champions League in a debut season.
There is no denying that he was a sensation at Madrid under Carlo Ancelotti.
Lucky to have him
He was voted Spain’s Player of the Year after scoring 23 goals in 42 games in all competitions. He followed that up with 15 goals and a UEFA Super Cup in his second campaign.
Bellingham has never played in the Premier League, rejecting the opportunity to do so when he was ready to leave his hometown club, Birmingham City.
He chose a different route, electing to move to Germany and sign for Borussia Dortmund.
Three years later, Madrid had to pay a starting fee of 103 million euros.
Bellingham is in the world-class bracket and England are lucky to have him. To even contemplate leaving him at home for the World Cup, as suggested by the Dail Mail, is, frankly, absolutely ridiculous.
There is no denying that England have a far better chance of winning the World Cup with Bellingham at number 10 than not.
Bellingham seems to be battling it out with Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer and potentially Phil Foden for the number 10 spot.
Bellingham is probably the best all-round midfielder of that quartet – he can offer a bit of everything.
World-class talent
All four are excellent footballers, capable of scoring goals and changing games in our favour. Tuchel is blessed with attacking talent and must conjure up the right formula to get the best out them.
To have any chance of being successful in the United States, we need captain Harry Kane to stay fit and Bellingham or Bukayo Saka to be the next best bet for a goal.
Of course, there will be some who do not like Bellingham’s ‘attitude’. Tuchel’s opinionated mother for one.
But he is a true world-class talent and has proved to be a big game player.
Elite football matches are often determined by a fine margin or one moment proving the difference. Bellingham produces moments when you need him too.
When we needed a goal at Euro 2024 against Serbia in the opening game and, more importantly, in the round of 16 against Slovakia, he delivered.
Yes, he proclaimed ‘who else?’ when his overhead kick in the 95th minute against the Slovaks kept us in the tournament.
He was right. Who else is producing that at that moment?
Big stage: Bellingham in action for Real Madrid
Ego
His mannerisms may suggest that he is running out of momentum. He can be seen with his hands on his knees, bent over, desperately trying to get air into his lungs – and then suddenly he is arriving in the box to get on the end of a chance. He is a difference maker.
Bellingham is young. He can be petulant. His mouth can land him in trouble with officials, opposing players or even his own teammates, but he is a winner.
He doesn’t care about reputations or annoying people when he is out on the pitch for club or country.
The English have never been terribly comfortable with ego, with someone believing that they are the best. We don’t champion them like the Americans do.
The same was true about Wayne Rooney before him. The media built him up before trying to tear him down a peg or two.
At Euro 2004, he was simply unplayable before a broken metatarsal ended his and England’s tournament against Portugal.
Two years later, after suffering a similar injury just weeks before the 2006 World Cup, Rooney recovered to join up with the squad in Germany.
On greeting the kit-man at the team hotel on his return, Rooney was quoted as saying, ‘the big man is back in town’.
Major blow: England’s Wayne Rooney is sent off against Portugal at the World Cup in 2006
Get right behind him
The jokey line became main news and Rooney was seen as being big-headed and egotistical.
It got worse when he was sent-off against Portugal in the quarter-final and had played half-fit.
Bellingham’s growing army of critics will suggest he has a chip on his shoulder or is arrogant. But maybe he just possesses an incredible belief and confidence in himself.
So he should. He has got to perform for Real Madrid every week – a draw is regarded as a crisis.
Bellingham has embraced that challenge and quickly become one of their best players.
He is an icon at Real Madrid and we should be celebrating that we have a player of that ability in our national team instead of trying to find little faults or attack his personality.
Jude Bellingham could yet help us win our first World Cup on foreign soil.
Let’s not try and destroy him and pour petrol on a conflict between coach and player that didn’t seem to exist in the first place.
We will need a bit of luck to win the World Cup in the United States and we may well need one or two of those special Bellingham moments along the way, too.
If he has everyone right behind him, it will only make it easier.
