One of the many things that makes Jude Bellingham so special is that he has the capacity to do things that do not seem possible or at the very least probable.
Here at Wembley as England came from behind to book a place in next summer’s European Championship, he did it twice and that was enough.
With England recovering from Italy’s early go to win, Bellingham — the new darling of Real Madrid’s Bernabeu and the new spiritual driving force of Gareth Southgate’s team — was the architect of both his team’s goals. First he won a first half penalty and then, in the second half, he led a breakaway from which Marcus Rashford was able to score.
On both occasions — at least in everybody’s mind bar his own — he was second favourite to even win the ball.
Playing a one-two with Harry Kane after half an hour, Bellingham had a 40 per cent chance at best of reaching the return ball from his captain. But he made it, Italy’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo didn’t and as a result a penalty was earned. The turn of pace over four yards was exceptional but it was the conviction of the chase — the belief the ball was his — that really stood out.
Similarly, just before the hour and with England not playing their most fluent football and locked at 1-1, a loose ball from their own half should not have been Bellingham’s. Once again, though, he made it so and on doing so, the 20-year-old was able to set Rashford away to drive England ahead.
And that was not Bellingham’s only contribution in that moment. As Rashford stood defenders up on the edge of the penalty area, Bellingham shot past on a left-side overlap. He knew he was never going to receive the ball. But that blur of white was enough to shift the attention and the balance of the defenders in blue and, with that, Rashford curled his shot into the other corner of the ball. So to Bellingham’s ever lengthening list of qualities we can add that of selflessness.
There is more of hint of superstar about Bellingham and he knows that, too. He celebrated Rashford’s goal alone by the corner flag. There was nothing wrong with that. He had done his bit.
When England played Italy in the final of the last European Championship here, they had the best part of an hour to find a way to beat them once Leonardo Bonucci had equalised in the 67th minute. For all of that time, Bellingham sat on the bench.
He was only 18 at the time and still feeling his way at international level. Southgate was more than aware that he had a precocious talent on his hands but also feared the teenager — a Borussia Dortmund player at the time — lacked the experience to be relied upon on for what was the biggest night for English football in half a century. When it’s put that way, Southgate’s hesitancy was understandable.
In the two years or so that have followed that final, Bellingham has not so much fast tracked himself to the forefront of the public consciousness but travelled there on a bullet train. If he is not England’s most important player already then he is certainly jostling for that position with Harry Kane.
If Kane remains the focal point of Southgate’s England then Bellingham is fast becoming its heartbeat. It’s a position he has grown in to remarkably quickly and the really interesting thing is that he knows it.
Bellingham doesn’t do media beyond what he is contractually obliged to. It’s a shame. Nevertheless, nobody needs to hear him speak to know that he sees himself as exactly what he is. A superstar in the making, a player who can and will make the difference when it really matters.
No coach can teach a player to be confident. Security cannot be bought or taught. Bellingham has it in spades and his statistics since he joined Real Madrid — ten goals in as many games — only underline it.
Here at Wembley, Bellingham sought to dictate the direction of this game from the outset on this the occasion of his 27th cap. Most players — even the very good ones — tend to wait a while before imposing themselves on a contest. It takes a while to truly get the blood up.
Bellingham is a bit different, however. Bellingham does not wait for a game to come to him, he goes after it. In only the second minute here he actually applauded an intervention from Harry Maguire while the ball was still in play, mindful perhaps of the wretched night his team-mate had endured at Hampden Park the last time Maguire had played. Seconds later, meanwhile, he took the ball himself, turned away from Gianluca Scamacca and set England in to forward mode.
And this is what Bellingham does and will continue to do for England the more experienced he grows and the better he gets. Playing in the No 10 position behind Kane he has the ability and the licence to influence just about everything his team do in the final third of the field.
Bellingham’s influence remained profound in the second half. One turn away from two defenders was reminiscent of Paul Gascoigne, both in terms of the technical skill and the burst of pace. The second goal had his name written right through it. The only surprise was that he didn’t score himself. He only has two thus far for England. Something to work on, at least.