"Best since 1966": Ferdinand's verdict on Bellingham

Legendary English defender Rio Ferdinand has made a boundary-pushing assessment of Jude Bellingham. Speaking on his own podcast "Rio Ferdinand Presents", the former Manchester United captain said of the Real Madrid star: "Jude Bellingham is the best England player in tournament football since 1966. I say it with my chest."

Ferdinand's bold claim is not said into a void; it is backed by concrete numbers. In goalscoring at the World Cup by age 23, only two names sit ahead of Bellingham: Kylian Mbappé and Pelé, two genuine centre-forwards who both began playing at World Cups as teenagers. Despite being a midfielder, the English star has reached 6 goals at this tournament, contributing to saving goals and progressing play more than anyone else in his position, it is noted.

The on-pitch performances behind the assessment are not forgotten either. Bellingham's brace in England's memorable 3-2 win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium is regarded as one of the greatest individual displays in English football history. The young star, whose character and place in the squad had been questioned before the tournament — even facing "arrogant" criticism — has all but silenced his critics with his performances on the pitch.

For Ferdinand, this is not just a single tournament's success but a sign of a career-long trajectory. The 23-year-old Bellingham is on track to become England's all-time top World Cup scorer after Harry Kane — and is set to achieve it as a midfielder, a feat that could place him in an unprecedented position in his country's football history.

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