IS Jude Bellingham the best player in the world?
Gareth Southgate is not the type of bloke to get carried away but even the England boss can see an argument for saying the Real Madrid star is just that.
Southgate admitted: “It’s not a stupid question.
“I haven’t seen everybody and studied everybody playing. All I can say it is he’s at the one of the biggest clubs in the world — arguably the biggest — and he’s playing exceptionally well.
“He’s currently the match winner for them so he’s in a brilliant place.”
Pundits in Spain compared Bellingham, 20, to legends Diego Maradona and Alfredo di Stefano after his solo effort in Real’s Champions League win at Napoli.
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And the midfielder’s double yesterday against Osasuna took his tally to eight in eight LaLiga games since moving from Borussia Dortmund in a £115million deal in the summer.
Bellingham will be looking to add to his tally of two international goals in Friday’s Wembley friendly against Australia and Euro 2024 qualifier with Italy four days later.
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti has played Bellingham in a more advanced position after selling centre-forward Karim Benzema.
Southgate said: “We played him higher against Scotland, he had that freedom in the Ukraine game as well — and we didn’t use the ball well enough in the final third.
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“But he’s always looked dangerous and had an impact around the opposing box with Dortmund and with us, without looking quite as calm as he has this season in front of goal.
“Real have found a nice balance with the athletic midfield they have behind and, having lost Benzema and lost Vinicius to injury, they have been adapting.
“He’s been defending on the left wing in a couple of games — I can just imagine the reaction from all and sundry if I asked him to do that!”
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