Jude Bellingham is firing on all cylinders and leaving the rest of the world in awe! The 23-year-old Real Madrid sensation has replicated Diego Maradona's historic feat of scoring two goals in consecutive knockout matches at a World Cup, sending shockwaves through the tournament. His double against Norway was the icing on the cake for Bellingham, who had already notched up his second goal in as many rounds against Mexico – a scintillating display that has cemented his reputation as a serial match-winner.
What's even more remarkable is that Bellingham has joined an elite group of players who have achieved this incredible feat. It's been 40 years since Maradona conjured up the magic in 1986, and now Bellingham has emulated it – a testament to his mettle under pressure on the biggest stage. Some might say it was just chance, but we know better: Bellingham's career trajectory is one of calculated risk-taking and a relentless drive to succeed.
The stats don't lie: an astonishing 75% of Bellingham's 12 England goals have come in major tournaments – including seven at World Cups and two in Euro 2024. That's higher than any other player who's scored at least 12 times for the Three Lions, underlining his unique ability to rise to the occasion when it matters most.
It's not just about the goals themselves; Bellingham's influence goes way beyond that. Unlike some prolific scorers who pad out their stats with penalties or softies against minnows, Bellingham consistently scores against top-class opposition – none of his goal-scoring exploits came against teams ranked lower than 48th in the world at the time. And when he does score, it's often a drama-filled equaliser in the dying embers of a match.
The numbers back up what we're seeing: Bellingham has created three of England's four instances of a player achieving at least 0.6 non-penalty expected goals in a single match this tournament – all in the knockout stages, where it really counts. This shows he's a critical asset for Gareth Southgate's team as they gear up for their semi-final showdown against Argentina.