Roy Keane believes Jude Bellingham can “become one of the greatest players of all time” after the midfielder’s outstanding performance against Croatia. England beat their World Cup group-stage opponents 7-0 in Rijeka in the Nations League, temporarily moving top of League A3 before Spain faced the Czech Republic later on Saturday evening.
Bellingham’s dominant display
Bellingham assisted three times in the rout and scored once himself as Thomas Tuchel’s side overwhelmed the home team. The Real Madrid player operated in a free role as England’s No10, positioned behind lone striker Harry Kane, who scored twice.
Bellingham impressed throughout with trademark late runs into the box, as shown by his goal, and his physical strength helped him break opposition lines with powerful ball-carrying.
Keane’s bold prediction
Speaking on ITV afterwards, Keane, the former Manchester United midfielder, said the 23-year-old was destined for greatness.
“I think there's still a lot more to come from him,” Keane said. "Bellingham can go on to become one of the greatest players of all time. He's a huge leader for England."
International record
On the international stage, Bellingham has 59 caps, 14 goals and 15 assists. At last summer’s World Cup, he played a leading role in England’s run to the semi-finals, scoring crucial goals throughout the tournament. He netted seven goals for the Three Lions in North America and Mexico, with a brace in both the last-16 match against Mexico and the quarter-final victory over Norway. In the Nations League, he has two goals and eight assists across both Leagues A and B.
