AMAZING v AMAZON
It’s Bellingham against the Brazilians tonight and Southgate says that Jude looks the Rio deal
JUDE BELLINGHAM is the England player who would walk into the Brazil team.
Real Madrid superstar Bellingham, 20, has the talent to rub shoulders with Brazil galacticos Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo at club level.
Bellingham will play as England’s No.10 against the South Americans tonight having grown in class and stature during his time in Madrid and will go to the Euros this summer as one of the best players in the world.
England manager Gareth Southgate has no fear about putting extra responsibility on Bellingham’s shoulders but still expects other players to step up.
At the start of the week Southgate reminded his players that, when he took over in 2016, they were outside the world’s top 10 but are now third in the FIFA rankings, two places above five-time World Cup winners Brazil.
Bellingham (above, with his manager) is at the heart of England’s rise up the rankings and Southgate accepts that now is the time to give him the freedom to express himself rather than be tied to a disciplined midfield job.
The Three Lions boss said: “We do have to remind ourselves he is 20. I am mindful that he is still a young man and our success in the next week and in the next few months is dependent on the team and the collective.
“But, positionally, he is a huge goal threat at the moment and his whole game with Madrid this year has been in that final third of the pitch. He is playing very high and they have played without a nine or he has played just behind the nine.
“He has not always defended in that position, sometimes he has defended from the left wing, but he has ended up playing quite a free role and he has had enormous success in playing it. “He is very capable of playing in a number of different positions and it is about finding the right balance with the rest of the team that gets the most out of him and gets the most out of other players.
“The most recent period has not been that straightforward for him. He had an injury and then the sending-off so it’s fair to say he has not had a perfect rhythm of games in that period.
“We are delighted to have him with us given the impact he has had with us and at an amazing football club.
“He is a player who is going to have an impact on any game he plays in.”
Southgate is aware that putting too much pressure on one star player can backfire but clearly believes Bellingham (below, in training) is ready, having blown everyone away at Real Madrid. “In the past we’ve put huge emphasis on individuals and then the individual has got injured and there’s nowhere to go,” said Southgate.
“When that happens the belief dissipates so you have to succeed as a team. Jude can be a hugely important part of that team, we recognise that and we want to give him every licence to do that. But, I repeat, he’s only 20 so that load has to be shared by everybody.”
Southgate also wants the whole squad to remember the progress they have made in the past few years. “I always refer the players to the progress they’re making.
The fact we have overcome a lot of hurdles as a team and created history in terms of knocking down fixtures that have been hurdles over the years,” said Southgate.
“I was reading that we’ve only beaten Brazil four times in 25 games or something like that, so that’s a great challenge for us to put another marker down as a team.
“Whenever I’m talking to the team I’m trying to excite them about the game ahead and challenge them.”