Jude Bellingham’s Hat-Trick of Assists Has Pundits Calling Him a Future All-Time Great

Jude Bellingham has long been considered one of the most gifted footballers of his generation, but after England’s emphatic 7-0 demolition of Croatia in the Nations League, former players and pundits are now openly discussing whether the 23-year-old could become one of the greatest to ever play the game.

The performance in Rijeka was a statement one. Bellingham scored and set up a hat-trick of assists, becoming the first England player directly involved in more than two goals in a single match for the Three Lions, and the first since Trent Alexander-Arnold’s display against San Marino in November 2021 to register three assists in one outing. He even wore the captain’s armband late in the game after Harry Kane was substituted, underlining his growing stature within Thomas Tuchel’s squad.

It is a remarkable turnaround from just twelve months ago, when Jude Bellingham’s place in the England setup was far from guaranteed. Tuchel left him out of the squad entirely in October 2025 and made clear the Real Madrid midfielder would not receive preferential treatment heading into the World Cup. Yet Bellingham answered in the only way that mattered, becoming England’s top scorer at the tournament with seven goals as the side reached the semi-finals before finishing third.

Why Jude Bellingham’s Display Against Croatia Stood Out

Roy Keane, never one to hand out praise lightly, did not hold back after watching the Croatia rout. “Bellingham can go on to be one of the greatest players of all time,” the former Manchester United midfielder said on ITV. “At this moment in time, he is an amazing footballer. The package – his running power, his delivery, his goal threat. The way he is progressing as a player, I still think there is a lot more to come from him.”

Keane also pointed to the less visible side of Bellingham’s game as evidence of his leadership qualities. “He has been fantastic in possession, but what he does out of possession lifts all these other players,” he said. “If you have a player that good in your team, who is amazing in possession and he’s playing for Real Madrid and doing brilliant things, but his work rate off the ball… that will just inspire other players. He is a huge leader for them.”

Ian Wright was similarly effusive, zeroing in on the relentless movement that made Jude Bellingham so difficult for Croatia to contain. “When Bellingham is on the pitch, he is always driving forward and going again and again,” Wright said. “He was involved in everything. His athleticism, his technical ability, his intensity. He never lets up, the way he gets in the box, he is always in there unmarked.”

A New Level, According to Tuchel

Asked directly whether Bellingham had taken his game up a notch, Tuchel did not disagree. “Yes, at the moment it seems like it, and you always need to,” the England head coach said. “It’s like you can never stand still. You have to develop and you have to push for the next level, otherwise other teams will catch up.”

Tuchel explained that following England’s bruising World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, he had made adjustments to the setup, handing greater responsibility to key players, Bellingham chief among them. The Croatia result, he suggested, was a way for the squad to move on from that disappointment and show how far they have come.

Former England defender Matt Upson went further, telling BBC Radio 5 Live that Bellingham is now “nailed on as the 10” for England’s long-term future, a role previously contested among several of Tuchel’s attacking options. That status appears to have been cemented further by Bellingham’s recent recognition as England’s player of the year for the second consecutive season.

Bukayo Saka, who benefited directly from one of Bellingham’s assists with a precise cross, was quick to praise his teammate after the match. “He was amazing tonight,” Saka said. “He deserved player of the year and he deserved man of the match tonight too. He was special. Happy to play with him and happy to have him in the England team.”

Supporting Cast Shines Too

While Bellingham was the headline act, he was far from alone. Harry Kane scored twice and will have the chance to equal Peter Shilton’s all-time England appearance record when the Three Lions face the Czech Republic at Wembley. Saka also netted a brace, and Anthony Gordon contributed a goal and an assist, rounding out a front four that tore Croatia apart and inflicted the heaviest defeat in that nation’s history.

Still, it was Jude Bellingham’s all-round contribution — goal, three assists, captaincy, and relentless pressing — that dominated the post-match conversation. For a player who was fighting for his place in the squad barely a year ago, the shift in tone among England’s most respected former players is striking. Whether or not he ultimately joins the pantheon of the game’s greatest names, the consensus from Rijeka was clear: Bellingham is no longer just promising. He is arriving.

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