Jude Bellingham has admitted he fancies shifting his shirt number from '10' to '007' when his footballing career ends, prompting bookmakers to slash odds on him becoming the next James Bond. The 23-year-old England midfielder told After Hours with James Corden that he hopes to move into acting and that Bond would be his dream role.
Bellingham's Hollywood Ambitions
“People would always ask me ‘what’s the thing you want to do outside of football?’ And I never really give it that much thought. But when I have it always comes out – I’d love to be in a film,” Bellingham said. The Real Madrid star revealed he has watched all the Sean Connery and Roger Moore movies. “I’d love to be James Bond. I’ve watched the Connery ones, Roger Moore. I’ve seen all of them. I love James Bond. I swear, I’d love to be.”
Bookmakers React
Coral cut the odds of Bellingham playing Bond from 100-1 to 66-1. Spokesman John Hill said: “Jude Bellingham has already established himself as one of the biggest stars in world football. And it’s clear fans can picture him swapping football boots for a tuxedo. Since admitting he’d love to play Bond we’ve seen support for him in our betting and his odds have been cut into 66-1. He’s still a long shot at this stage but if he inspires England to World Cup glory this summer, those odds will be much shorter.”
William Hill spokesman Lee Phelps added: “We’ve added him into the betting to succeed Daniel Craig as 007. He joins a selection of celebrities at three-figure prices, but we have Bellingham more likely to be sipping dry martinis on-screen than the likes of Ryan Gosling, Hugh Jackman and Harry Styles. The Real Madrid maestro makes up one of two England stars in the running to be named the next Bond. We have him five times as likely to swap the football pitch for the film set than his teammate and captain Harry Kane. He is 1,000-1.”
World Cup and MLS Plans
Bellingham has already notched up two goals and an assist at the World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada. He hopes to fill his boots against minnows DR Congo in the last 32 knockout clash. The midfielder revealed he has become a big fan of the US and would eventually like to move to Major League Soccer, following in the footsteps of David Beckham. “I do think it would be cool to live there and play there as well. I do think at some point that would be pretty cool. Look at Becks and him going to the LA Galaxy and then doing what he’s done in Miami,” he said.
Star Power in the US
Bellingham has already become a huge star in the US. In a Daily Star ‘whose that player’ quiz in Beverly Hills, near Hollywood, Bellingham was the only one everyone recognised. Every single fan from nations including the US, Mexico, Czechia, and Bosnia picked out Bellingham, who proved more recognisable than record goal-scoring skipper Harry Kane. Asked why she knew Jude, one American girl cooed: “Because he’s beautiful.” Another US sports fan said the Real Madrid midfielder was ‘the only one I recognise’. “That’s the only one I know. I’ve heard of him. I’ve heard he’s a great player,” he said.
World Cup Dream
Bellingham said it would be ‘beyond iconic, beyond legendary’ if the Lions lifted the World Cup to end 60 years of hurt since their sole triumph in 1966. “It’d be something that would bring the country together for years and years. And when it does, I think it’ll be an unbelievable time for the country,” he said.
Debbie McWilliams, who cast the last three Bonds, said she wants to ‘see somebody who is completely out of the blue’. Bellingham may have a leg up on some rumoured front-runners to succeed Daniel Craig, including Oscar nominee Jacob Elordi and Chelsea fan Callum Turner.
