Jude Bellingham has been singled out as the top performer at the current World Cup by former England captain Wayne Rooney. The Real Madrid midfielder has been in sensational form for the Three Lions, netting six goals in six appearances during their impressive run to the semi-finals.
Bellingham, 23, currently sits level with England captain Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot, just two goals behind France's Kylian Mbappe and Argentina's Lionel Messi. Norway's Erling Haaland, whose side were eliminated by England in the quarter-finals, leads the standings with seven goals. Rooney, speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, acknowledged that while Mbappe and Haaland might be considered the world's best overall, Bellingham's impact in the tournament has been unparalleled. He noted that Bellingham's performances for his club this season haven't quite reached these heights, but his World Cup displays have been exceptional.
Bellingham has emerged as a crucial player for England in major tournaments, boasting nine goals and three assists across World Cups and European Championships. His Real Madrid teammate Mbappe is the only other European player under 24 to have scored more, with 12 goals in major tournaments. Bellingham's efficiency in these high-stakes matches is evident, averaging a goal or assist every 138 minutes, a significant improvement on his rate of one every 284 minutes in other international fixtures. This World Cup has seen him score in group stage victories against Croatia and Panama, followed by two goals in each of the knockout matches against Mexico and Norway.
Rooney praised Bellingham's relentless energy, passion, and desire, attributing his success to these qualities. He highlighted how rare it is for a top player to combine such drive with technical ability, suggesting it's what fans, particularly England supporters, want to see. Rooney drew parallels between Bellingham's playing style and his own, noting the midfielder's moments of brilliance alongside a tendency for aggressive tackles. He believes Bellingham has silenced any prior doubters with his commanding performances on the biggest stage.
England are set to face Lionel Messi's Argentina in the second semi-final today, 15 July, at 20:00 BST. The match will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app, and BBC Radio 5 Live. Both Bellingham and Kane are on the verge of making history; if either player scores against Argentina, they will become England's highest scorer in a single major tournament, surpassing Gary Lineker (1986) and Kane himself (2018), who both scored six goals and won the Golden Boot. The formidable duo of Bellingham and Kane has been instrumental in England's journey, contributing 12 of the team's 13 goals, an unprecedented reliance on two players for a team that has scored over 10 goals in a single World Cup.
Despite Bellingham's individual brilliance, Rooney still believes Harry Kane will be the key to England lifting the trophy. He anticipates that Argentina's central defenders, Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez, will struggle to contain the Bayern Munich striker. Rooney suggested that if Kane is on top form, his ability to drop deep and exploit spaces will be too much for the Argentine defence, predicting he will 'destroy' them.