Jude Bellingham has played a pivotal role in England’s run to the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals.
Bellingham has achieved something no player has done since Diego Armando Maradona, becoming the first player to score at least two goals in back-to-back World Cup knockout matches since 1986. Maradona did it against England and Belgium, and Bellingham did it against Mexico and Norway.
Given his record-breaking numbers, is he in a position to be crowned as the best player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Jude Bellingham World Cup 2026 — The Numbers Behind the Hype
To understand the hype surrounding Bellingham, we need to set criteria for what it means to be considered the “Best Player” at the FIFA World Cup.
We’re not only talking about goals or assists, as those are important but often fail to tell the whole story. We’re assessing the direct influence a player can have on both sides of the ball. It’s about analyzing how important the player is on both offence and defence, and the Real Madrid star seems to be the full package.
Bellingham is among the top scorers of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with six goals in six matches. Averaging 1.00 goals per game is impressive, but for a midfielder, it’s almost unheard of.
Another big performance 🌟
The winner of our @EE fan vote: @BellinghamJude 👏 pic.twitter.com/KdWdu4UIVj
— England (@England) July 12, 2026
No midfielder has been named the top scorer of a World Cup since Wesley Sneijder shared that title with several other players in South Africa 2010. And before that? It was Vavá, who shared the top-scorer honours at Chile 1962.
Bellingham has also matched two records held by all-time greats during this impressive World Cup run. He became the youngest player since Pelé to record back-to-back knockout-stage matches with two or more goals, and he’s the first to do so since Maradona in Mexico 1986.
With seven goals, he already ranks third in the World Cup all-time scoring charts among England players, trailing only Harry Kane (14) and Gary Lineker (10).
However, Bellingham is not all about goals. He also excels in other areas, such as passing (9.6/10, according to Scout52), work rate (9.8/10), ball-carrying (6.7/10), and defensive work rate (5.2/10).
The only area in which he doesn’t stand out is his ability to create chances (4.1/10), and it’s a clear indication of how he prefers to sneak inside the box rather than creating chances for others.
This is what separates Bellingham from other top stars at the World Cup. Not only is he scoring goals, but he’s doing the work in other areas as well.
Best Player World Cup 2026 — Bellingham vs Messi vs Mbappé
After Norway lost to England in the quarterfinals, it’s fair to say the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball has only three players – Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Bellingham.
The case for Messi: We have never seen a 39-year-old player dominate the way he has at this stage. He has scored eight goals at this tournament, but he’s also setting records left and right. He’s already the player with the most goals, assists, and appearances in World Cup history, but he’s also thriving as a creative force with 22 chances created.
Messi’s influence extends beyond his goal contributions, as he’s the engine of an Argentina side that’s looking to win back-to-back World Cup titles – a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since Brazil did it back in 1958 and 1962. On the “complete contribution” criteria, he leads the field by a distance.
The case for Mbappé: Mbappé is tied with Messi for the scoring lead with eight goals, but he also has three assists and 16 chances created. 10 of his 20 goals in World Cup history have come in knockout matches, and he’s found the back of the net in every game France have played since the start of the Round of 32.
France have been the most dominant team at the tournament, as they’re unbeaten and have scored 16 goals in six matches, and Mbappé is their engine. His 11 goal contributions in this edition are the most in a single tournament since Gerd Müller in 1970. On raw output, no one touches him. The assists tiebreaker gives him the Golden Boot lead over Messi right now.
The case for Bellingham: Bellingham is two goals behind Messi and Mbappé, but he’s elite in areas where the aforementioned duo doesn’t thrive, such as passing, work rate, and defensive contributions. He’s making history with every game he plays, and scoring six goals as a midfielder is not the same thing as doing it as a striker.
Our goal-scoring duo 🔗
Jude and Harry are joint fourth top goalscorers so far at the @FIFAWorldCup 👏 pic.twitter.com/ZHNG4xc7qP
— England (@England) July 12, 2026
The Maradona comparisons are stat-based and specific, not journalist hyperbole. England’s run to their first semi-final since 2018, chasing their first final since 1966, flows directly through him. On “team influence” and “position context,” the argument is stronger than the raw numbers suggest.
World Cup 2026 Player of the Tournament — Our Take
It’s common to believe that the player who scores the most goals is the best, but there are many layers to a soccer player, and Bellingham hasn’t shown any weaknesses at the tournament. The final two matches will ultimately determine whether he becomes a legend of English soccer or another “what if?”
Based on the six matches the Three Lions have played so far, Bellingham should be considered the best player at the 2026 World Cup. England wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him — and the same can’t be said for France or Argentina.
TonyBet Player of the Tournament odds:
- Lionel Messi: +200
- Kylian Mbappé: +150
- Jude Bellingham: +399
2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot odds:
- Lionel Messi: +145
- Kylian Mbappé: -141
- Jude Bellingham: +2500
Place your bets on TonyBet!
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