Jude Bellingham is adored by most Real Madrid fans, but back in his homeland of England, he is a polarising personality. Criticism over his supposed 'bad attitude' is constantly making headlines, and if Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions disappoint at next summer's World Cup, it's almost guaranteed he'll be a scapegoat.
The former Borussia Dortmund talent started the season recovering from shoulder surgery before returning in late September. He hasn't been quite as prolific as his astonishing debut campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu but he's put in some performances that have lived up to the hype.
Bellingham has remained silent in response to his English detractors and is now tasked with stepping up in Kylian Mbappe's absence over the next three weeks. But there are question marks over his starting role in Tuchel's England team come World Cup time.
Steve McManaman makes interesting Bellingham point
The English press have a tendency to hound out their star men especially those that choose to go abroad rather than arrive in the Premier League. That was the case for Bellingham, who opted to join Madrid rather than move to Liverpool or Manchester City two summers ago.
Steve McManaman is another Englishman who played abroad during his career and that included at Madrid. He performed exceptionally well with Los Blancos, becoming a cult hero with 14 goals and 20 assists in 158 games.
He has now given his thoughts on Bellingham ahead of the World Cup, as a battle between the 22-year-old and Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers is taking place for England's number 10 role. He claimed that English fans and media don't tend to watch him in Spain while speaking to Steven Gerrard on TNT Sports:
“I think what happens is that in England, we don’t watch La Liga a lot, I see La Liga a lot, and in a Real Madrid team that are struggling, Jude Bellingham is still exceptional."
Bellingham was on target in Madrid's 2-0 win over Sevilla on December 20th to take his tally for the season to four goals and three assists in 14 league games.
McManaman touched on his ability and what makes him unique:
"I mean he’s young and is an exceptional footballer. His ability on the ball and what you see when he’s at close quarters, when he’s on the ball and what he can do… not many people can do that."
Headlines such as Craig Hope's 'Tuchel should leave divisive soloist Jude Bellingham out of his World Cup squad' for The Daily Mail have caused huge debate in England. A witch hunt of sorts feels nonsensical given how talented the Stourbridge-born midfielder is.
🚨 Ex players blaming media for fallout from Jude Bellingham’s petulance is like blaming the mirror for the haircut
— Craig Hope (@CraigHope_DM) November 17, 2025
🪞 The truth is Bellingham needs to look at himself
⬇️ This is why I think England have a better chance WITHOUT him at the World Cup…https://t.co/E8Ym8dytgZ
McManaman added:
"With all respect, if you’re a next footballer and you watch what he can do and see him, it’s just really, really nice to do and not many people can do that. So you know there’s something about him that makes him stand out from other people."
When Bellingham debuted for England back in late 2020 he quickly established himself as a mainstay in the national team. He was a standout performer at the 2022 World Cup and many envisioned he was next in line for the captain's armband once Harry Kane retires.
McManaman is the latest to back Bellingham after Ian Wright hit out at the English press for their treatment of the player. The Madrid man will be doing his talking on the pitch.
Steven Gerrard: Bellingham starts over Rogers
There perhaps hasn't been a better English midfielder in history than Steven Gerrard and he too is a fan of Bellingham. While there is much talk over Rogers starting at the World Cup, the Liverpool legend doesn't see him doing so if Madrid's number five is fit and ready for the tournament:
“Is Morgan Rogers ahead of Bellingham in Tuchel’s eyes? If Jude is fully fit and in the zone, he plays in team, all day long. He’s got something up there that not many players have got.”
Rogers is in red-hot form this season, posting seven goals and three assists in 17 Premier League games. He has been regularly used by Tuchel but doesn't have major international tournament experience like Bellingham.
While England's performances at Euro 2024 left much to be admired they still advanced to the final before losing to Spain. They wouldn't have got there if not for Bellingham's stunning overhead kick against Slovakia, which proved that even on an off day he has the ability to come to the fore in big pressure games.
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