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The “Real Madrid” star’s performance in the World Cup impressed the “Manchester United” legend
Former Manchester United and England star Gary Neville has praised Jude Bellingham’s performance for the Three Lions at the 2026 World Cup, stressing he has never seen anything like it in his country’s national team.
Bellingham scored both goals in England’s 2-1 World Cup quarter-final win over Norway, ensuring they will meet Argentina in the semi-finals next Wednesday.
Neville believes the Real Madrid midfielder has reached another level.
“His performance was absolutely amazing,” Neville told Sky Sports. “Honestly, it shocks me when I watch such a speech. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an English player make such an impression in a tournament like this.”
“I was with Gaza (Paul Gascoigne) in 1996, Wayne Rooney in 2004 and Michael Owen in 1998. I watched those matches live and I’ve never seen anything like it before. It is exceptional in every sense of the word and at the highest level.”
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He continued. “This is not England’s next star. This is England’s current star. It’s already happening. You have to realize that it’s clearly going to change the rules of the game.”
He noted: “You are playing in the World Cup. You scored six goals. You were amazing in every sense of the word, both offensively and defensively. You almost single-handedly supported your team with the support of Harry Kane.”
He continued. “My girls love football. They are 16 and 17 years old. They love him very much. He is a hero. Every kid in England now watches the World Cup and imagines himself as Jude Bellingham.”
“The impact that he has on the youth of our country, and on the youth of the world in this country that we live in, the United States, is truly remarkable,” he added.
He continued. “There comes a point in your career when you either perform at your highest level or you don’t, and your legacy will be determined by that. That’s why great players stay great.”
“Everyone is looking at him. Everyone wonders if he is world class. Even I thought, before this tournament started, that Harry Kane was our only truly world-class player and that we had Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham who were a bit below par, to the point where we thought, “No, you should try harder.” “You still have a lot to do.”
“He went and did it. He went and climbed that extra step, which is a huge step towards what is going to be a world-class Mt.,” he continued.
“I was talking to Roy Keane and Ian Wright after the game last night and they said that at the moment if you’re watching football you’re watching the best midfielder in the world and it’s not because he’s scoring goals, by the way.”
“We don’t tend to exaggerate when praising goals. We know we need them, but it’s the other aspects around them that make up the complete player that gives him the edge.”
