Every time Jude Bellingham pulls on an England shirt, it’s obvious how much the honour means to him. In the build-up to the 2026 World Cup, certain pundits tried to paint him as arrogant and questioned whether he even deserved a place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad. Bellingham has answered that noise in the only way that matters, delivering a string of outstanding performances, none more eye-catching than his display in the 3-2 win over Mexico at the Azteca — arguably one of the best individual showings by an Englishman in the nation’s history. At just 23, there’s a growing sense that he could one day be viewed as the best player England has ever produced, following in the footsteps of the country’s greatest names.
Bellingham has stepped up when it mattered most, scoring twice against Mexico to send England through to the quarter-finals. He hasn’t done it alone, though — Harry Kane has been equally outstanding throughout the tournament. Kane converted the winning penalty as Tuchel’s ten men held firm to beat Mexico, and watching the pair thrive together has been a source of real pride for England fans.
Plenty of supporters now put Kane in the same bracket as Bobby Charlton and Wayne Rooney when discussing England’s greatest-ever player, and Bellingham himself made a similar point after the 2-1 last-32 win over DR Congo. He described how his relationship with Kane has strengthened over the past four or five years, especially since they played together at the Qatar World Cup, and said it’s a privilege to line up alongside him. He went further, describing Kane as the standout England player of all time in his eyes, pointing to how consistently he turns up for the team. Kane backed that up with two goals in the comeback win over Congo, arriving at the tournament off the back of a record-breaking scoring season at Bayern Munich. Bellingham also noted how effortless it feels playing alongside someone operating at such a high level, and that Kane’s impact is felt whether or not he’s heavily involved in the buildup play.
Kane’s status as England’s record scorer is already secure — he passed Rooney’s tally back in March 2023. Rooney himself, though, isn’t ready to crown Kane the greatest all-round player. Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s show in September 2025, he suggested he had qualities as a player that Kane lacked, and that he brought more of a physical edge to games, while still acknowledging Kane’s remarkable consistency in front of goal even when his broader performance level fluctuates.
What still holds some people back from calling Kane England’s ultimate great is his lack of major international silverware — two Euros final defeats and a World Cup semi-final represent his best returns so far. Winning a trophy with England would finally put him alongside Charlton in that conversation, since Charlton’s legacy rests not just on his ability but on lifting the World Cup in 1966.
