Jude Bellingham scored twice in 98 seconds as England beat Mexico 3-2 despite finishing with 10 men in an epic World Cup last-16 clash at the Azteca – a performance Wayne Rooney believes ranks alongside iconic displays from Steven Gerrard and Roy Keane.
The 23-year-old Real Madrid midfielder dragged Thomas Tuchel’s side through the victory in Mexico’s capital, which set up a quarter-final tie with Norway as England chase their first major trophy since winning the tournament in 1966.
“Rooney says Bellingham's two-goal display against Mexico evokes Gerrard and Keane's heroic Champions League performances.”
Rooney, speaking on his BBC podcast, likened Bellingham’s showing to Gerrard’s in the 2005 Champions League final, when he inspired Liverpool’s comeback from 3-0 down against AC Milan, and Keane’s renowned display against Juventus to help Manchester United reach the 1999 European Cup final.
“I said Jude Bellingham was going to have a game when we’re going to need him to drag us through,” said the former England striker. “You look at Steven Gerrard against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final. Roy Keane against Juventus for Manchester United. They dragged the teams through them games. I felt like that was Bellingham’s one with them two goals – the timing of the goals, his desire, his work rate, his hunger.”
Gerrard scored the first goal as Liverpool came from 3-0 down at half-time to beat Milan on penalties, while Keane also scored against Juventus as United overturned a 3-1 aggregate deficit despite knowing a yellow card had ruled him out of the final that year.
Rooney rated Bellingham’s performance a ‘10 out of 10’ given the ‘pitfalls’ surrounding the game. Bellingham also produced a brilliant last-ditch tackle to deny Mexico defender Cesar Montes what would have been an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.
“At times defensively he’s not always in the right positions, but his desire to get back and put that last-minute tackle in and help his team-mates when they’re not maybe having the best game was everything,” Rooney added. “I just felt it was the right game to give him a 10 out of 10.”
The victory – Tuchel’s biggest statement yet since taking charge – keeps England’s hopes of a first World Cup since 1966 alive, with Bellingham now firmly established as the midfield general capable of dragging his team to glory.