Real Madrid £88m world-beater forming budding bromance with Man Utd inspiration

Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham is well on his way to becoming one of the sport's all-time greats and the footballing world may have Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney to thank for that.

The England international is still just 20 years old but is already regarded as one of the best players in the world and the star picked up the Golden Boy trophy this week. The award is handed out to the continent's most promising football talent under the age of 21, decided by Italian outlet Tuttosport, and has been running since 2003.

Bellingham follows a list of prestigious players including Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Paul Pogba in collecting the award in Turin. However, as he received the prize, the Galacticos star admitted there was one former winner who had inspired him the most.

Bellingham said: "It’s about trying to make my team and my country the best teams in the world. I think to be the best player in the world, that’s what you have to do, to help your teams win. To join that list is such a big honour.

"For me, I would probably say that Rooney was my biggest influence growing up. Being from England, the way he played, the way he fought. But there are so many other players I’ve taken bits from."

Bellingham, who has bagged 15 goals in 17 appearances for Real Madrid this term under Carlo Ancelotti, was born in Stourbridge and grew up around Birmingham as a youngster. He supported his local club Birmingham City, where he would go on to rise up through the youth ranks and break into the first team, before being sold to Borussia Dortmund in 2020.

Bellingham spent three years in Germany before completing a bumper £88 million move to Madrid this summer, where he has done nothing but grow his promising reputation, soon becoming a fan-favourite at the Bernabeu.

The midfielder's respect for Rooney, who happens to now be in charge of his boyhood Birmingham City, is reciprocated too. Speaking about the star earlier this year, the Manchester United talisman said: "We have to really support him because in my eyes he is a future captain of England. He has really impressed with how he handles himself, how he speaks, how he is on the pitch. He plays as a leader already at 20. He is someone we need to protect and look after for the future of England.

"It's difficult for a young player when you have a dip in form or issues off the pitch, it's difficult to blank that noise out. He's at Real Madrid. One bad game, they can be on you. There's a lot of pressure playing for England as well so it's important he is close to the people around him and simplifies things. He's in the form of his life. If he does dip, let's all get behind him."