Jude Bellingham: Why Borussia Dortmund man is England's future and present
- Stats correct before the weekend of 16/10/21
Jude Bellingham's omission from the latest England setup was perhaps the most surprising news to come out of that particular squad announcement.
Gareth Southgate was quick to dispel any confusion about the choice to leave out the Borussia Dortmund midfielder, though, adamantly stating in his press conference that Bellingham's exclusion — alongside Mason Greenwood — was due to a heavy workload, emphasising the need to be careful with youngsters projected to be "really exciting players for England for the future".
Of course, the England manager makes a valid point in terms of long-term development. After all, at that point the 18-year-old Bellingham had made 64 appearances (46 starts) for club and country since the start of last season.
It does, however, raise questions as to how far into the future Southgate's plan for him is, or should be.
With the 2022 World Cup in Qatar just over a year away, there is a solid case to be made that Bellingham is England's best midfield option in the present.
Captain-like qualities
Bellingham's tender age masks his unquestioned maturity.
After Birmingham City were ridiculed for retiring Bellingham's number 22 shirt when the move to Dortmund was confirmed, he has made their decision appear a warranted one with every passing appearance, hitting every milestone a player destined for the top would expect in his short career so far — all with the mentality to match.
Bellingham's inclusion in England's Euro 2020 squad this summer was a monumental marker, undoubtedly a bi-product of the pair of Champions League performances the midfielder produced against Manchester City in April, seriously impressing Pep Guardiola as a standout in the quarter-final tie, and he jokingly queried Bellingham's age after advancing.
Borussia Dortmund veteran Mats Hummels is the latest to praise the teenager's maturity, professing his love for Bellingham's abilities as both a leader and a player.
Admittedly, these are intangibles that Southgate's apparent preferred starters, West Ham's Declan Rice and Leeds' Kalvin Phillips, can equal — both leading lights for their Premier League clubs — but, given the tangible output he is delivering both domestically and in Europe, Bellingham offers more upside.
Blossoming at BVB
Perhaps the most recent checkpoint Bellingham has reached en route to becoming world class is the fact he has become undroppable at Borussia Dortmund, starting all 11 of the club's competitive outings this season.
It is difficult to pin Bellingham down to a particular midfield role at the moment, but it appears he has been allowed some freedom to roam further forward under new boss Marco Rose.
A lack of a definitive position is often construed as being a negative. However, Bellingham is generally excelling in every action asked of him.
The 18-year-old's energy has been on full display from a defensive perspective, ranking third in the Bundesliga for pressures applied in the middle third of the pitch (79). That has led to nine tackles in the middle third, a figure only eclipsed by six other players in the league.
- Pressures - Number of times applying pressure to opposing player who is receiving, carrying or releasing the ball.
- Progressive passes - Completed passes that move the ball towards the opposition goal at least 10 yards from its furthest point in the last six passes, or any completed pass into the penalty area. Excludes passes from the defending 40% of the pitch.
When Borussia Dortmund have the ball, Bellingham's willingness to receive it is as obvious as ever, even in the more advanced areas he finds himself in this season. His total of 42 progressive passes received is a higher amount than any other central midfielder in the Bundesliga.
Couple that with his 16 successful dribbles completed and the most fouls drawn (21) in the league, and it's easy to see how Bellingham is becoming a nightmare to deal with between opposition lines.
If evidence is needed as to how much Bellingham can contribute in attacking areas, look no further than his two performances in the best club competition in the world this term.
Bellingham's performance against Besiktas was supreme, scoring and assisting a goal in his team's 2-1 victory in Turkey, before adding another assist in the 1-0 home win over Sporting Club.
Bellingham is England's best
Southgate said he understands why people would be surprised with the omission of Bellingham for England's games against Andorra and Hungary during this international break, insisting that he would have been picked if not for "longer term aims and ambitions" in mind.
Timelines change at a rapid rate in football, though, and Bellingham's brisk development at Borussia Dortmund is confirmation of just that.
His meteoric rise from a record-breaking debut appearance for Birmingham at the age of 16 years and 38 days to being a key cog in a Champions League-chasing team has been achieved in the same amount of time usually taken between major international tournaments.
Bellingham's current form renders Southgate's label of 'exciting player for the future' as irrelevant. If you're searching for an England star of the present as well as the future, say hey to Jude.