England through to the Quarter Finals: Jude Bellingham masterclass performance

On Sunday, the Al Khor’s Al Bayt Stadium witnessed the great talent of rising English star Jude Bellingham. The number 22, Bellingham, showed great character and skill as he dictated the midfield and heavily influenced an England 3-0 win over Senegal. African champions Senegal struggled to handle the pressure of Bellingham, which enabled England to drive forwards and leave with a convincing result. After a joyous win, England's supporters have immediately drifted their focus to their quarter finals fixture against France on Saturday.

There have been several great moments from England's players throughout the tournament, however Bellingham's consistency throughout the matches has been particularly noticeable. This game was a representation of his performances so far, with an assist leading to the first goal and breakdown of Senegal play resulting in a second goal. The teenager who plays in Germany has eyes from every angle watching him. His current club, Borussia Dortmund, are watching with both delight and concern. Jude Bellingham has definitely been a standout midfielder in this World Cup, and there's no doubt he will see offers in the summer from the big clubs.

"I don't want to big him up too much because he is still young, but he's one of the most gifted players I have ever seen," Foden told ITV.

"He has no weakness in his game. I think he will be the best midfielder in the world."

The support of his fellow players and coaching staff will only have a positive impact on the youngster. Only aged 19 years and 158 days, he is the youngest player to assist in any World Cup game for England. England have had many talented teenagers in the starting line-up in the last few decades, therefore this is a significant achievement. It is understandable that English fans are becoming increasingly optimistic about the outcome of the World Cup for the England squad.

If you take a look at the breakdown of stats from Bellingham's performance, it's clearly evident that he was the star of the show. With his commanding stature in the middle, he won eight duels, three tackles, and two fouls. The young midfielder also had an incredible 100% passing accuracy in the final third, including his assist for Jordan Henderson. He only misplaced one pass throughout the entirety of the game, resulting in a pass completion of 96% (23/24 passes).

"It is exactly what you need from a midfielder when the game is a bit tight - running from midfield. Brilliant."

- Roy Keane to ITV

The Borussia Dortmund star deservedly received many credits from ex-players and current pundits across TV and social media. Even famous Uk influencers and entertainers took to social media to express their views about the 19-year-old.

KSI tweet, suggesting Manchester City would be dangerous with Jude Bellingham

England look ahead to Saturday with optimism after Bellingham's world class performance; however, the focus always reverts back to Gareth Southgate and his squad selection. After England's slow start against Senegal, it will be interesting to see how he sets his team against a very strong French opposition.

AUTHOR

Samuel Gentles