Roy Keane, the outspoken former Manchester United captain who now works as a Sky Sports analyst, has declared that Jude Bellingham could ascend to the very top of the all‑time greats. The 23‑year‑old, who plies his trade for Real Madrid and captains England, was the central figure in a 7‑0 demolition of Croatia in the Nations League, a result that marked the Balkan side's heaviest defeat in recent memory. In that match, Bellingham found the back of the net once and provided three assists, showcasing the blend of goal‑scoring instinct and creative vision that has become his hallmark. Bellingham’s rise has been meteoric.
He was England’s standout performer at the 2022 World Cup, and since the tournament he has become the fulcrum of Thomas Tuchel’s attacking unit. In his last eleven outings for the Three Lions, he has been directly involved in thirteen goals, a ratio that would be enviable for any seasoned veteran. After the rout of Croatia, Keane lavished praise on the midfielder, describing his display as "a complete performance" and emphasizing the leadership qualities the youngster now brings to the national side.
"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 phenomenal.
I’ve always praised his technical ability, but it’s his work off the ball that lifts the entire squad. When you have a player who is brilliant in possession, playing for Real Madrid and delivering at the highest level, and who also puts in an extraordinary work‑rate when the ball is not his, that inspires everyone around him." The former Manchester United stalwart also noted that England made a world‑ranked 14th‑place Croatia look like a "Gibraltar‑type of team" – a stark illustration of the gulf in quality on the day. Bukayo Saka, who contributed two goals in the same fixture, echoed Keane’s sentiment, calling Bellingham "amazing" and suggesting he deserved both the Player of the Year award for the 2025/26 season and the Man of the Match accolade for the Croatia game. Tuchel, who has overseen England’s transformation since taking the helm, agreed that Bellingham has taken a step up, but warned that complacency is never an option in elite sport.
"Yes, it looks like he’s moved to the next level, but you always need to keep improving," the German manager said. "The level you showed last week is never enough for the next week – that’s the nature of football.
We’ve given the players more responsibility and they’ve responded. The cohesion we saw on the pitch was the result of training, tactical meetings and a shared belief." Under Tuchel, England have forged a formidable front four consisting of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon.
All four found the net against Croatia, underscoring the fluidity and interchangeability that Tuchel wants his attacking line to embody. Kane, the captain, explained to ITV that the quartet enjoys a high degree of freedom: "We can all play in the number‑10 role, Ant can be a No 9, Jude can drop deep as a No 10, I can sit deeper as a midfielder. If we lose the ball, we’re all smart enough to cover in midfield or defence. That makes it very hard for opponents to press us." Tuchel added that the full‑backs’ support and the movements of the front four were "on the highest level".
He emphasized that maintaining a consistent lineup has helped the players develop instinctive patterns of play, allowing them to press aggressively, transition quickly and maintain a high work‑rate throughout the match. "The counter‑press is intense, the full‑backs keep pushing, the midfielders support, and it’s a collective effort," he said.
"The front four look dangerous right now and enjoy playing together." Rob Dorsett of Sky Sports News summed up the spectacle from Rijeka’s Stadion HNK: "England erased Croatia without a trace on the Adriatic coast. No one could have predicted such dominance from a side ranked 14th in the world.
They sliced through the Croatian midfield and defence like a hot knife through butter. Kane scored twice and added an assist, Saka hit a brace, Bellingham recorded a goal and a hat‑trick of assists, and Gordon also contributed a goal and an assist.
Croatia were simply blown away; England could have won by even more." The performance sent a clear message about England’s ambitions. With a blend of seasoned experience and youthful exuberance, the team appears ready to challenge for major honours. Bellingham’s combination of technical brilliance, tactical intelligence and relentless energy makes him a rare talent capable of influencing games in multiple phases.
If he continues on this trajectory, as Keane predicts, he could indeed join the pantheon of football’s all‑time greats, leaving a legacy that will be remembered for generations.