Jude Bellingham was not yet born the last time a teenager scored for England at a World Cup.
The last – and only other – teenage talent to do so was Michael Owen against Argentina at France ’98. In the years that followed, Owen would lift the Ballon d’Or and seal a move to Real Madrid.
England’s latest golden starlet looks to be on the same trajectory. Destined for greatness. Unlike Owen, who peaked for the Three Lions that night in Saint-Etienne, you sense the best is yet to come from Bellingham on the international stage.
Bellingham had not yet made his debut for Birmingham City when Gareth Southgate’s side reached the semi-finals in Russia four years ago. He celebrated his 15th birthday midway through the run.
It was that summer that set a new tone for a new England, one that Bellingham looks set to thrive in. That wasn’t the case with the world-class individuals that made up England’s ‘Golden Generation’, the one that Bellingham grew up watching.
“Gerrard was probably my biggest one. The character he had was world class and then you add on his ability and it’s a joke really,” the 19-year-old told BBC Sport ahead of England’s Qatar 2022 opener against Iran.
“When your heroes take the time to appreciate what you have done it is really special. I’m not sure how I feel, it’s almost disrespectful for him really with all he’s achieved in the game – to say that after three years we have similarities. I just want to be Jude and go on my own path. What he did was amazing, if I can get close to what he did then I’ve done well.”
Bellingham’s got his head screwed on and is saying all the right things. But it’s not unrealistic to expect him to outshine his boyhood hero in an England shirt.
Gerrard never made it past a quarter-final with England, every summer proving a wretched disappointment as the shirt weighed too heavy. Their array of Champions League-winning superstars have all spoken on the record as to the reasons why.
A remarkable 10 minutes of TV from 3 of England’s ‘Golden Generation’ and the issues they faced in their time as Lions…fascinating TV… pic.twitter.com/ZYy6VB66A2
— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) November 25, 2017
Paraguay. Trinidad & Tobago. Sweden. USA. Algeria. Slovenia. Italy. Uruguay. Costa Rica. Gerrard made nine appearances in World Cup group stages and each and every one of them – win, lose, or draw – were invariably miserable. Never did it feel like that England were…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Football365…