World Cup 2022: Jude Bellingham tournament debut draws praise from pundits

"We talk about the great midfielders that we've played with and seen in England in our generation - none of them were doing what he's doing at this age, on this stage."

Rio Ferdinand saw plenty of talents in front of him in the Three Lions' engine room during an 81-cap international career spanning 14 years.

Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, to name just a few.

But 19-year-old Jude Bellingham's stand-out performance on his World Cup debut, scoring England's opening goal in an all-action display in the 6-2 win over Iran in Doha, left the BBC Sport pundit in awe.

"The authority that he plays with on the pitch goes well beyond his years - he's a fabulous footballer but to deliver at a World Cup like that at that age...," Ferdinand said.

"I'm not saying he's better or going to be as good as all of them but at this age none of them were doing what he was doing and it's just fabulous to see."

Against Iran, Bellingham made 15 entries into the final third, with only marauding right-back Kieran Trippier (15) managing more, and his pass accuracy of 96% was bettered only by John Stones (99%).

He also made 23 passes in the final third, again bettered only by Trippier's 25 and dispossessed the Iranians nine times, with only Declan Rice (10) outdoing the Borussia Dortmund midfielder.

That all-round impact in both halves of the pitch wowed former England midfield pair Jermaine Jenas and Danny Murphy, commentating on the game for BBC Radio 5 Live.

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No England midfielder or attacker had more touches against Iran than Jude Bellingham's 113

"Bellingham is a throwback, he can really do it all," Jenas said.

"He is like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard rolled into one. It's a real bonus for Gareth Southgate to get him now in the form that he is in."

Murphy added: "When you are watching him, it is really easy to forget just how young he is."

On BBC One, former England striker Alan Shearer added his praise.

"It was a complete performance from a really exciting player - it had everything, he put in the tackles, the work-rate, his passing was superb, he got his goal, it really was a special day for him," Shearer said.

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It was not just former players waxing lyrical about the Stourbridge-born midfielder's eye-catching display - his team-mates were just as keen to pay tribute too.

"He is an unbelievable player for such a young age," right-back Trippier told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He is playing at such a high level and he is not afraid. He has got to keep his feet on the ground and keep performing like I know he will."

At 19 years and 145 days, Bellingham became England's third youngest starter at a World Cup behind Luke Shaw in 2014 and Michael Owen in 1998.

And in a nice piece of symmetry, it was Shaw's cross he headed home in the 35th minute in Doha to become England's second youngest World Cup goalscorer, again behind Owen.

"I said I wanted to score more goals for Dortmund and England this year," Bellingham, who has netted nine times for his club this season, told BBC One.

"To be honest, I thought it had missed! Then it took ages to loop into the goal - a really proud moment for me."

In addition to scoring, Bellingham's industry set up Harry Kane to cross for Raheem Sterling to net England's third goal, and his defence-splitting pass freed Callum Wilson to tee up Jack Grealish to make it six.

As former England goalkeeper Rob Green put it on Radio 5 Live: "He's everywhere, he is just patrolling the pitch. It seems wherever the ball goes he is there. He has that ability to find the ball at all times."

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