Roy Keane, the outspoken former Manchester United captain turned Sky Sports analyst, has declared that Jude Bellingham has the potential to become one of football’s greatest ever players. The 23‑year‑old England and Real Madrid midfielder was instrumental in England’s 7‑0 demolition of Croatia in the Nations League, scoring once and providing three assists in a match that saw the visitors suffer their heaviest defeat in recent memory. Keane’s praise came after the game in Rijeka, where a sparse crowd witnessed England’s dominance and Bellingham’s emergence as a central figure in Thomas Tuchel’s side. Bellingham’s rise has been meteoric.
At the World Cup he was widely regarded as England’s standout performer, and since the tournament he has been involved in 13 goals over the last 11 games – a remarkable ratio for any player, let alone a teenager. Keane highlighted this consistency, describing Bellingham’s display against Croatia as a "complete performance" and noting that the midfielder has grown into a "huge leader for England".
The former Celtic and Manchester United stalwart believes there is still a great deal more to expect from the young star. "There's still a lot more to come from [Bellingham]," Keane said during his ITV interview. "Bellingham can go on to become one of the greatest players of all time.
His attitude for England recently... I have been praising him for being fantastic in possession, but what he is doing out of possession lifts all these players. If you have a player who is that good in your team, who is amazing in possession and is playing for Real Madrid and doing brilliant things, but his work rate off the ball, that will inspire all the other players." Keane also praised the overall team performance, likening Croatia – ranked 14th globally – to a "Gibraltar‑type of team" in comparison to England’s firepower.
He summed up the night succinctly: "Everything you would want. A complete performance." England’s own Bukayo Saka echoed Keane’s sentiments. The Arsenal winger, who netted a brace in the same fixture, called the night "amazing" and lauded Bellingham’s influence. "He was amazing tonight, to be fair.
He deserved player of the year and probably man of the match as well. He was special.
Happy to play with him and happy to have him in the England team," Saka told ITV. Tuchel, who has been careful not to over‑praise his squad, nevertheless admitted that Bellingham appears to have taken a step up.
"Yes, at the moment it seems like that and you always need to," the German coach said when asked if the midfielder had progressed. He warned, however, that football is a sport where "you can never stand still" and that each week brings a new benchmark. Tuchel praised the collective improvement, noting that the team’s cohesion and tactical discipline were evident in the way the players translated training sessions into a high‑level performance on the pitch.
A key element of England’s attacking thrust is the newly forged front four: Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon. All four featured on the scoresheet against Croatia, underscoring the fluidity and interchangeability that Tuchel has cultivated. Kane, the England captain, explained the freedom each player enjoys: "All four of us are good players, we can play in the number‑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." Tuchel added that the front four’s success is built on the support of the full‑backs and the movement of the entire unit. "The support from the full‑backs, of course, and then 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 going and to get the automatisms right within the front four but they are very good together at the moment. They enjoy playing together and the work rate is on a high level and the counter‑press is on a high level so these are complete performances." Rob Dorsett of Sky Sports News summed up the spectacle from Stadion HNK Rijeka: "England sank Croatia without a trace on the Adriatic coast, with the Good Ship Tuchel now full steam ahead after the World Cup supporter mutiny.
No one could have predicted a performance of this utter dominance against the team ranked 14 in the world. England cut through a woeful Croatia midfield and defence at will, like a red‑hot knife carving through softened butter, and Tuchel's front men had a field day." Dorsett highlighted the individual contributions: two goals from Kane, two from Saka, a goal and a hat‑trick of assists from Bellingham, and a goal plus an assist from Gordon. He concluded that the 7‑0 scoreline, while not flattering to England, served as a statement victory and a clear indicator of the squad’s potential.
In summary, Roy Keane’s endorsement of Jude Bellingham reflects a broader consensus among teammates, the manager, and pundits that the midfielder is on a trajectory toward greatness. His blend of technical brilliance, tactical intelligence, and relentless work ethic both on and off the ball sets a template for future leaders. If he continues to develop under the guidance of Tuchel and thrives in high‑pressure environments, the football world may indeed witness one of its next all‑time legends.