September 12th 2023.
Jude Bellingham has been an integral part of Gareth Southgate's England team since the 2022 World Cup. His performance against Scotland on Tuesday night, scoring England's second goal, is a testament to that.
However, Graeme Souness has bizarrely claimed that Bellingham only starts for England because he plays for Real Madrid. Ahead of the summer transfer, Bellingham completed a €103million move from Borussia Dortmund to Madrid and has made a fantastic start to life in Spain, with five goals and an assist in his first four games.
Souness can't understand why Bellingham gets into the England team ahead of Tottenham's James Maddison. While on punditry duty for Channel 4, Souness was asked about Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips and changed the subject to Bellingham. He said, "If you look at Maddison's numbers, his stats, scoring goals, creating chances - he shoots Jude Bellingham off the park. He's far better. And yet he [Southgate] is choosing Bellingham because he plays for Real Madrid."
Maddison has made a fast start to life at Spurs with two goals and two assists, however, he is actually behind Bellingham statistically. The pair did actually start together against Ukraine, though the former was deployed on the left-wing.
Souness believes that there is room for both of them in the midfield and that England are capable of more than what they are showing. He said, "I think this England team that I watch are playing with the handbrake on. I think this team are capable of more than what they are showing. I'm an enormous fan of James Maddison. I think there's room for Maddison and Bellingham in this midfield."
Overall, Bellingham has been an impressive addition to the England squad and has established himself as a regular starter in the Three Lions squad. It will be interesting to see how he continues to develop and grow in the years to come.
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