England face Argentina in the second semi-final of the FIFA World Cup tonight. Ahead of the crucial match, Wayne Rooney has expressed his admiration for England midfielder Jude Bellingham. According to the former England striker, Jude Bellingham is the best player at the current World Cup so far.
“When you think of the best players in the world, the first names that come to mind are Mbappe and Haaland. Bellingham may not have reached that level for Real Madrid this season, but in my opinion, he is the best player in this tournament,” the former England captain said on his show, “The Wayne Rooney Show.”
Bellingham has played a key role in England’s run to the semi-finals. The Real Madrid midfielder has scored six goals in six matches at the World Cup, just two behind France’s Kylian Mbappe and Argentina’s Lionel Messi (both on eight goals) in the race for the Golden Boot. Norway’s Erling Haaland, whose side was knocked out by England in the quarter-finals, has scored seven goals, while Three Lions captain Harry Kane is level with Bellingham on six goals.
Bellingham, 23, has already established himself as a major player for England, with nine goals and three assists in major tournaments, including the World Cup and Euros. Only his Real Madrid teammate Mbappe (12 goals) has scored more than nine goals in a major tournament as an under-24 player in Europe.
Bellingham’s performance in major tournaments is far better than in other international matches. While he records a goal or assist every 284 minutes in other matches, he averages a goal or assist every 138 minutes in major tournaments. After scoring against Croatia and Panama in the group stage of this World Cup, Bellingham scored twice each against Mexico and Norway in the knockout stage.
On Bellingham’s style of play, Rooney said, “Jude’s main strengths are his energy, passion, determination, and drive — and that’s why he succeeds on the field. You don’t often see such qualities. Many top players rely solely on talent and technique. But Jude has a fierce hunger and desire to win, which is really great to see in a player.”
Reflecting on Bellingham’s career, Rooney added, “He reminds me of myself — one minute you’re thinking, ‘This kid’s a genius!’ and the next you’re thinking, ‘Hey, don’t make that tackle, don’t get a red card!’ I was like that too. But he’s proving himself on the biggest stage in the world. He’s silenced all the doubters who questioned him before the tournament.”
If Bellingham scores against Argentina today, he will become England’s all-time leading scorer in a single major tournament. Gary Lineker and Harry Kane won the Golden Boot in 1986 and 2018 respectively, with six goals each.
