England boss Gareth Southgate says it is “not a stupid question” to ask whether Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham is the best player in the world right now. Having impressed at Birmingham and flourished at Borussia Dortmund, the 20-year-old midfielder has gone up another level since his big-money switch to Spain. Bellingham has immediately established himself as one of Madrid’s main men and has scored 10 goals in 10 matches since moving to the Bernabeu for an initial £88.5million fee. The midfielder scored a brace in Saturday’s 4-0 win against Osasuna, which will only increase talk of the midfielder being the world’s top player at the moment. Asked if Bellingham was the best in the world right now, Southgate – speaking before the Real star’s two-goal showing on Saturday – said: “I wondered if you might say that! “No, it’s not a stupid question. I haven’t seen everybody and studied everybody playing. “All I can say is he’s at one of the biggest clubs in the world, arguably the biggest, and he’s playing exceptionally well and he’s currently the match-winner for them so he’s in a brilliant place.” He’s been the match-winner for Real Madrid and the start for him has been absolutely phenomenal. I’m chuffed to bits for him. Gareth Southgate on Jude Bellingham Bellingham has quickly established himself as a fan favourite at the Bernabeu, where he has added more goals to his game playing in a more advanced position. The 20-year-old scored a solo stunner in Tuesday’s 3-2 Champions League win at Napoli, with Spanish media comparing him to Diego Maradona and Alfredo Di Stefano. “He’s playing higher,” Southgate said. “We played him higher against Scotland, he had that freedom in the Ukraine game as well, we didn’t use the game well enough in the final third. “But he’s always looked dangerous and had an impact around the opposing box with Dortmund and with us, without looking quite as calm as he has this season in front of goal. “It’s brilliant to have people who can win games. “He’s been the match-winner for Real Madrid and the start for him has been absolutely phenomenal. I’m chuffed to bits for him.” Asked if Bellingham is a number 10 who could play up top on his own without a number nine, the England boss said: “Well, there are lots of different number 10s, aren’t there? “The 10s I played against, (Dennis) Bergkamp, (Gianfranco) Zola probably were forwards that dropped deeper rather than the other way round. “Jude is a more powerful player than those, slightly different. More of a midfield player, who’s going to make midfield runs. That doesn’t mean he’s any less effective, as we’ve seen. “Their team have found a nice balance with the athletic midfield they have behind and, having lost (Karim) Benzema as they did and lost Vinicius (to injury) as they did, they have been adapting. “He’s been defending on the left wing in a couple of games and I can just imagine the reaction from all and sundry if I asked him to do that! “So, look, he’s doing brilliantly well and that’s the beauty of some of the options we’ve got. We can play players in different positions. They’re good players so they can adapt.” Bellingham will now join up with England for a Wembley double-header, with Friday’s friendly against Australia followed by a Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy. Southgate largely stuck with the tried and tested with his selection for October’s fixtures, meaning vice-captain Jordan Henderson kept his place after his controversial move to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia. “His physical data is fine,” Southgate said of the former Liverpool skipper. “The games are not at the same intensity as the games here. The heat is part of that. “There are two or three drinks breaks per game, which is an indication of the climate, and that his having an impact on how teams play. “It is a situation that we are tracking closely. I will go out and watch games. But we get all his games the same way we get everybody else’s. “That’s a longer trip and in these first couple of months we’ve felt it more important to see as many games live as we can, as quickly as possible, by getting around our country more. “But as time moves on, we’ll get to more of the Milans, the Madrids and the Bayern Munichs, as well as out to see Hendo.” Read More Pep Guardiola says he learned ‘a lot’ from Mikel Arteta ahead of Sunday reunion Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff should push for England call-up – Eddie Howe Steve Cooper hails Nottingham Forest’s ‘upward trajectory’ despite stalemate Owen Farrell relieved his shot clock blunder did not cost England victory Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest play out goalless draw at Selhurst Park Jonathan Taylor ends speculation over his future by committing to the Colts

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David Brooks is determined to shine at a major tournament for Wales after suffering finals disappointment in the past. Wales put automatic qualification for Euro 2024 in their own hands by beating Croatia 2-1 on Sunday as Brooks made his first international start since June 2021. Brooks was diagnosed with stage-two Hodgkin lymphoma in October 2021, and it has been a long road back to form and fitness as the 26-year-old’s body took time to recover from the full effects of the disease. The Bournemouth forward missed Wales’ first World Cup for 64 years after playing a limited role at the Covid-delayed European Championships in 2021, managing only 31 minutes in three substitute appearances. “The last couple of times we’ve been, I didn’t play as big a part as I would have liked,” said Brooks, who travelled to Qatar last year to support Wales at the World Cup when building up his fitness. “I had to accept it because Gareth Bale was in front of me and he’s a living legend. “So I’d love to go and be part of the team. It’s massive for me, that’s what I want to achieve in my career, I’ll be ready to go.” I had to accept it (not playing) because Gareth Bale was in front of me and he’s a living legend David Brooks Brooks scored in the 2-0 win in Latvia last month after coming on as a second-half substitute and showed signs he was back to his best against Croatia, despite not being a Premier League regular at Bournemouth. He produced some delightful touches in the opening 45 minutes against the World Cup semi-finalists, and then set up the first of Harry Wilson’s two goals before making way just before the hour mark. “The occasion got a little bit the better of me, getting cramp earlier than I thought I would,” Brooks said. “I said when I scored against Latvia it was a very proud moment and this was exactly the same. “I don’t think anyone gave us a chance against Croatia but we’re not scared of playing anyone. “We had a small dip in form in the summer camp to take it out of our hands, and if we have a good camp next time we’re through. “You can see by the performances we are playing for the gaffer (Rob Page) and we love having him.” Wales will secure automatic qualification for next summer’s Euro finals in Germany by beating Armenia and Turkey in November. If they fail to do so, they are guaranteed a play-off spot in March. Page pointed out after the victory that took Wales into second spot behind group leaders Turkey seven of his starting XI are currently not playing first-team football at their respective clubs. Goalkeeper Danny Ward is among that number as he has yet to play for Leicester this season. Asked how it was possible to beat Croatia with the squad having played so little first-team football, Ward said: “Very famously Gareth (Bale) said ‘it’s the Dragon on the chest’ and he’s not wrong. “The last camp for us was big. Two clean sheets, two positive performances. The foundations were set there as a group and this was a typical Wales performance. “It was backs to the wall at times and moments of real quality. Our togetherness got us through in the end.” Read More Northern Ireland U21s lose late on against Serbia I quite like the noise – Ellis Genge ‘fuelled’ by England’s critics Ireland brush aside Gibraltar to spare Stephen Kenny further torment England Under-21s fall to late defeat against Ukraine A closer look at the five sports given the go-ahead for the 2028 Olympic Games Kyle Walker eyes ‘little bit of payback’ as England host Italy

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 7, 2023--

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