Jude Bellingham ranked by Gary Lineker among England's greatest midfielders

Gary Lineker has suggested that Jude Bellingham may already rank above Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and Paul Scholes as England’s best midfielder of the century. The comments follow Bellingham’s standout performance in a Nations League match against Croatia, where he scored one goal and provided three assists in a 7-0 victory.

While Micah Richards argued that Bellingham lacks the specific flair of players like Cole Palmer or Phil Foden, Lineker defended the Real Madrid midfielder’s technical ability. Lineker stated that Bellingham’s touch is “unbelievably good” and expressed his belief that the 23-year-old could eventually become England’s “GOAT player.”

Bellingham has been named England’s Men’s Player of the Year for two consecutive years and was included in the previous World Cup Best XI. His continued form in international competition has fueled discussions regarding his place among the nation's all-time footballing legends.