From Real Madrid woes to England's World Cup heroics: Bellingham shines

Jude Bellingham, whose Real Madrid season has been described as difficult, turned the final group‑stage match of the FIFA World Cup into a personal showcase, scoring the opening goal against Panama, providing an assist to Harry Kane and earning man of the match honours – a stark contrast to his club form. Bellingham earned man of the match in England's opening win over Croatia, where he appeared on the scoreboard. He repeated the feat against Ghana despite the team's loss. In the Panama match, Bellingham played 71 minutes, contested 15 ground duels and won 11. He made four tackles, drew four fouls, created four chances, attempted four take‑ons with three completed, and recorded the most goal involvements.

Henderson makes history as England march on at World Cup

His contributions helped England top Group L with seven of a possible nine points. This placed them in a relatively favourable knockout draw. England will meet the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Round of 32. A victory would set up a clash with either Mexico or Ecuador in the Round of 16 and potentially Brazil in the quarter‑finals.

Tuchel's dilemma: England's reliance on Bellingham sparks shift

The World Cup surge comes as Real Madrid players, including Bellingham, are enjoying a positive run at the tournament. The accompanying image is credited to Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images. The contrast underscores how Bellingham's World Cup form could reshape expectations for his role at Real Madrid as the club looks ahead to the remainder of the season.