Roy Keane, the outspoken former Manchester United captain who now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, has declared that Jude Bellingham has the potential to rank among the greatest footballers ever. The 23‑year‑old England and Real Madrid midfielder was the central figure in England's 7‑0 demolition of Croatia in the Nations League, a match played in front of a modest crowd at Rijeka’s stadium on the Adriatic coast.
Bellingham found the net once and supplied three assists, a performance that not only secured a historic defeat for Croatia – their heaviest ever loss – but also reinforced his growing reputation as a world‑class talent. Bellingham's impact has been evident since the World Cup, where he emerged as England's standout player. Since the tournament began, he has been directly involved in 13 goals across 11 matches, a statistic that underscores his importance to Thomas Tuchel’s side. After the Croatia game, Keane praised the young midfielder, describing his display as "complete" and highlighting the leadership qualities Bellingham has already shown for the Three Lions.
"There's still a lot more to come from Jude," Keane told ITV. "He can become one of the greatest players of all time. His attitude for England has been exceptional. I have been singing his praises for his brilliance on the ball, but what he does off the ball lifts the entire team.
If you have a player who is that good in possession, who plays for Real Madrid and does brilliant things, and whose work‑rate off the ball inspires his teammates, that changes everything." Keane added that England had reduced Croatia – a side currently ranked 14th in the world – to a "Gibraltar‑type" opponent, emphasizing how far the English side had progressed. "Everything you would want.
A complete performance," he summed up. England teammate Bukayo Saka, who scored twice in the same match, echoed Keane's sentiments.
"It was an amazing night for us," Saka said on ITV. "We played with high energy and spirit and punished them tonight. He [Bellingham] was amazing – he deserved player of the year and probably man of the match as well. He was special.
I'm happy to play with him and happy to have him in the England team." Manager Thomas Tuchel also weighed in, noting that Bellingham appears to be stepping up to a new level, but he cautioned that football never allows complacency. "Yes, at the moment it seems like that and you always need to," Tuchel explained when asked if Bellingham had taken a step forward.
"The level you showed last week is never enough next week – that's the nature of football. We adjusted some things, gave the players a lot of responsibility and they are a group to be trusted. It was impressive. It was the first time this group played like this together again and they were very good.
The translation from the last two matches, from the training sessions and the meetings into this match was on the highest level." Tuchel's tactical set‑up features a formidable front four: Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon. All four got on the scoresheet against Croatia, illustrating the fluidity and versatility of England’s attack.
Kane, the captain, described the freedom each player enjoys: "All four of us are good players, we can play in the No 10 pocket, Ant can play as a No 9, B can come in as a No 10, Jude can play as a No 9, I can play as a midfielder. It's so hard for the opposition to pick it up.
If you lose the ball, we're all smart enough and good enough to cover in midfield or defence. That's the way we want to play.
For them it was so hard to pick a man and press." Tuchel elaborated on why the quartet is so dangerous. "The support from the full‑backs, of course, and the movements through the last line were on the highest level today. They get better and better.
That's why I didn't want to change so much from match to match, to get the fluidity going and to get the movements right within the front four. They enjoy playing together and the work‑rate is high, the counter‑press is high – these are complete performances.
The full‑backs keep pushing and supporting, the midfielders keep pushing and supporting, so it's always a team effort, but the front four look very dangerous at the moment." Rob Dorsett of Sky Sports News captured the scene at Stadion HNK Rijeka, describing England's performance as "utter dominance" against a team ranked 14th in the world. "England cut through a woeful Croatia midfield and defence at will, like a red‑hot knife through softened butter," he wrote. "Two goals for Captain Kane with an assist to boot.
Two goals for Saka, a timely confidence boost for the Arsenal man. A goal and a hat‑trick of assists for the irrepressible Jude Bellingham, alongside a goal and an assist for the equally magnificent Anthony Gordon. Croatia were simply blown away, and England could have won by more.
When England are rampaging all over the pitch like this, winning back possession when they have no right to do so, passing forward at every opportunity and finishing ruthlessly, there is no better team in world football to watch." The 7‑0 scoreline, while impressive, does not fully capture the statement England made on the Adriatic coast. It signalled a team that can dominate a world‑ranked opponent with a combination of technical skill, tactical intelligence and relentless work‑rate. For Bellingham, the night added another chapter to a meteoric rise that began with his debut for Birmingham City at 16, a breakthrough at Borussia Dortmund, and a high‑profile transfer to Real Madrid. His blend of composure, vision, ball‑carrying ability and defensive contribution makes him a rare prototype of the modern midfield maestro.
If Keane's prediction holds true, we may witness Bellingham not only collecting personal accolades but also shaping the way future generations view the midfield role. His ability to influence the game both in possession and without the ball, combined with an ever‑growing leadership mantle for England, suggests a trajectory that could see him etched alongside legends such as Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Johan Cruyff.
In the months ahead, England will face new challenges, and Bellingham will be expected to maintain, if not exceed, the standards he set in Rijeka. As Tuchel reminds us, football is a sport of constant evolution; players must adapt, improve, and never rest on past achievements. For now, however, the consensus among pundits, teammates and the manager is clear: Jude Bellingham is on a path that could lead him to become one of the all‑time greats, and the world will be watching his journey with keen interest.