Jude Bellingham once again proved the leading role of the England team when shining in the 2-0 victory over Panama, helping the "Three Lions" win the top spot in Group L and create a great advantage before the 2026 World Cup knockout round.
In the context of England playing without vitality and facing many difficulties against Panama's defense, Bellingham was the one who created the difference. The 22-year-old midfielder opened the score before assisting Harry Kane to score, thereby helping the England captain surpass Gary Lineker to become the greatest scorer of the "Three Lions" at World Cups with 11 goals.
This is Bellingham's eighth goal in the national team jersey, of which up to five goals were scored in major tournaments. That statistic shows that the Real Madrid star always knows how to shine at the most important moments.
The victory over Panama also helped England avoid a more difficult bracket in the knockout round. At one point, when Croatia led Ghana, the risk of losing the top spot was present, while England was still deadlocked against a lower-rated opponent.
Bellingham once again became the mainstay of the team. In addition to a goal and an assist, he also led the match in the number of decisive passes (4), the number of successful dribbles (3) and the number of tackles (4), affirming the image of the most complete midfielder in the world.
This is also the third consecutive time Bellingham has been voted Player of the Match at the 2026 World Cup. After reluctantly receiving the title in the match against Ghana, the midfielder born in 2003 continued to have a performance that made all compliments worthy.
Not only outstanding in expertise, Bellingham also impresses with his fiery fighting spirit. His determination was clearly shown in the match against Ghana, when Morgan Rogers had to intervene after a tense situation. However, what is more noteworthy is the maturity in this midfielder's handling against Panama.
After missing an opportunity from a long-range shot blocked by Jose Cordoba, Bellingham did not let emotions affect the performance. He calmly chose his position, escaping Jorge Gutierrez's marking to head in a goal from Bukayo Saka's corner kick.
By the second goal, Bellingham continued to show the qualities of a big star. He accelerated down to the touchline and then made an accurate cross for Harry Kane to easily head in to double the lead.
He is the only player of the England team who always maintains abundant energy. Bellingham's ability to move, put pressure and choose positions is really impressive" - former defender Gary Neville commented.
Meanwhile, Harry Kane also did not hesitate to praise his teammate. The England captain assessed that Bellingham possesses all the qualities of a modern midfielder, from ball control, pressing, tackling to effective penetrations into the penalty area.
According to Kane, Bellingham playing a little deeper helps England have more options to deploy the ball, while creating space for other attacking players to operate.
The 2026 World Cup is witnessing an England team that has not reached its peak form and still has many problems to improve. However, while the team is not operating smoothly, Bellingham is the biggest support for coach Thomas Tuchel.
With his current form, the Real Madrid midfielder is not only the "soul" in midfield but also the biggest hope for the England team to aim for the goal of conquering the 2026 World Cup.
