JUDE BELLINGHAM - NEXT BALLON DOR WINNER FROM ENGLAND?

 

Bellingham is an English midfielder who plays for Real Madrid in the Spain Primera División. He won the Golden Boy award and the Kopa Trophy in 2023. The Kopa Trophy is given to the world's best-performing male footballer under the age of 21.

It wasn't a shock when Real Madrid busted out the checkbook to the tune of $110 million to acquire Bellingham last summer, but the sheer ease of his adaptation has raised eyebrows across the globe, so much so that he has now scored more goals in his first 15 games for Real Madrid than Cristiano Ronaldo (13), Alfredo Di Stéfano (13), Ferenc Puskás (11), Raúl (7), Hugo Sánchez (7) and Karim Benzema (5). At the age of 20, he is already breaking records.

He is already the favorite to win the Ballon D'Or award given to the best player on the planet. The Englishman is often compared to former Real number five Zinedine Zidane, but the most goals the French maestro ever scored in one season across his 18-year career was 10.

Not only did Bellingham's game develop beautifully by going to Dortmund and is now kicking on again in Spain, but he has avoided much of the intrusive attention that has often stifled promising England players in the past.

He's carrying teams of superstars through difficult moments, and clearly rising head and shoulders above them, too. Real Madrid has relied on him to bail them out in the opening of their La Liga campaign. England has benefitted from his technical quality.

He has been lauded by current team members Ancelotti and Modric

"He can get to 20 or 25 goals because he has started very well," added Ancelotti.

Five-time European Cup winner Modric told Dazn: "He exudes personality and character, it's no coincidence that he has adapted so well.

"He's a top boy, with an extraordinary talent. I don't think even he can believe he's scoring so many goals."