ENGLAND star Jude Bellingham is now recognised as one of the best players in his position, but that wasn’t always the case.
And a detailed retelling of events from Birmingham City striker Lukas Jutkiewicz recalled how the teenager was years ahead of where he should have been.
Speaking to the Mirror he revealed how Bellingham turned up to training with the Birmingham senior team in his school uniform and stunned everyone.
He said: “We’re doing finishing drills and this kid’s joining in with the first team. He’s faking to shoot, putting senior pros on their a***s, chopping and then rolling it into the other corner.
“I thought to myself – and I know I wasn’t the only one – ‘Just who is this?’”
Five years on and Bellingham has become one of the most sought-after talents in world football, attracting transfer interest from top clubs all around Europe.
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Even at the age of just 17 years old he commanded a transfer fee of £25million as Borussia Dortmund acquired him from Birmingham following his stunning debut season in the Championship.
And now Bellingham – who was recently praised by Wayne Rooney – could cost a fee worth almost six times that as the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid all circle.
Jutkiewicz added: “I started my professional career early – I found it daunting being around the senior boys.
“It’s a brutal environment. You’re in a new place and you’re trying to establish your position in the dressing-room hierarchy. And here’s a kid coming into a senior men’s team where livelihoods are on the line.
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“As a pro, you worry whether they’ve got the academy mentality. But he looked at home among us. He understood what was expected. He looked at home in the Championship too.
“He embraced the ugly side of it. He loved the 50-50s. On the pitch, he had the confidence and self-awareness – I wouldn’t say it bordered on arrogance – but he loved the ugly side of it.
“He was as humble off the pitch as he was confident on it. He took the Mickey out of people in the most respectful way.”
Bellingham was involved in England training in Qatar as the Three Lions prepare for their opening game against Iran – as he also made your fan-voted best England XI for the World Cup.
Fellow Birmingham star Harlee Dean said: “I can remember his debut against Stoke City – it wasn’t that late in the game – and we had other options on the bench – and I thought to myself: ‘We need something else other than that.’
“I was wrong. He scored the winner that day. From there, the kid just took off. From then on in, he was just outstanding. If he was on your side in training, then you won. In any small-sided game, you won.
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“He was demanding, aggressive, powerful, skilful, pacy. He had everything. He was a lovely kid, too. He had maturity beyond his years.
“I would describe him as ‘headstrong.’ He knew where he wanted to go. Look, I wanted to be a professional footballer. I wasn’t that confident at his age. He was backing it up every single day.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
