Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham is proving Lionel Messi wrong following Ballon d’Or omission
Jude Bellingham continues to prove Lionel Messi wrong after being overlooked as a future Ballon d’Or contender.
The 36-year-old has won the award a record eight times and is the current holder following his World Cup exploits.
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In an interview with L’Equipe in October, the Inter Miami striker named the four players who could claim the Ballon d’Or in the years to come.
However, the Barcelona legend has not included Bellingham among the potential candidates, despite his impressive debut at Real Madrid.
He said: “Which players will compete for the Ballon d’Or in the coming years?
“There could be a very good rivalry in the years to come with players like (Erling) Haaland, (Kylian) Mbappe, Vinicius (Jr) and many young players vying for the Ballon d’Or.
READ MORE ABOUT JUDE BELLINGHAM
“I also think that Lamine Yamal, who is still very young and now plays for Barcelona, will play a leading role and will fight for that in the future as well.
“There will definitely be more, new players that we don’t know will appear, because there are always new players, and I think it will be a very good era to enjoy.”
On the night Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or, Bellingham won the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the highest-scoring player aged 21 and under.
The England international has shown no signs of stopping in his first season in Spain, where he is La Liga’s top scorer with 16 goals.
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And he is on course to help Real Madrid win glory in the Spanish top flight, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side eight points clear at the top of the table.
He could yet achieve Champions League glory, with Real in the quarter-finals, where they will next face Manchester City.
In total, Bellingham has contributed 30 goals in all competitions for Real since arriving from Borussia Dortmund.
Gareth Southgate hopes the player maintains his form ahead of Euro 2024 this summer, where he is expected to play a key role for the Three Lions.
And while the bookmakers consider Bellingham the favorite for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, he has truly proven Messi wrong.
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