Jude Bellingham is lighting up the goalscorer market like a beacon, with over half (52%) of all wagers placed in his favour for England's crunch World Cup semi-final showdown against Argentina on Wednesday. The Real Madrid midfielder has caught fire at the right moment, and punters are betting big on him to strike again after netting six times already in the tournament – including two crucial goals apiece in England's last two victories over Norway and Mexico.
Despite Lionel Messi's breathtaking tally of eight World Cup goals, the Argentine superstar has seen his market share dwindle to a mere 34%. Harry Kane, with six goals to his name, accounts for just 11% of the goalscorer wagers. Bellingham's phenomenal form has catapulted him from relative obscurity to firm favourite status in a matter of games – and it's not hard to see why. His thrilling displays have left fans and bookmakers alike convinced he'll be on target again come Wednesday night.
"Jude Bellingham's match-winning performances at the World Cup have mesmerised fans," says Darren Small, SVP Managed Trading Services at Sportradar. "There's increased confidence amongst bettors that he'll score on Wednesday night – and it shows in the numbers." A telling statistic is that just two games ago, Bellingham attracted a paltry 1% of goalscorer bets against Mexico – now, he's the clear top choice.
The semi-final showdown between England and Argentina promises to be an electric affair, with both teams carrying rich histories in each other's pockets. This is the first World Cup knockout stage meeting since 1998, when a nail-biting 2-2 draw saw Argentina prevail on penalties – a match that will forever be etched in memory for David Beckham's infamous red card and Michael Owen's sublime goal.
Bellingham's heroics have sparked comparisons to some of England's most iconic individual World Cup performances, including the mercurial displays of Paul Gascoigne in 1990 and Sir Bobby Charlton in 1966. With public backing pouring in, the pressure is on him to lead the Three Lions to the final – and avenge past defeats against their fiery foes from South America.