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Bellingham from Three Lions has been acquainted with one teammate for almost two decades.
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LIVE COVERAGE: Thomas Tuchel takes control of his second match against Latvia
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Jude Bellingham
is among the top players globally – whether he is excelling on the European scene with
Real Madrid
or rescuing England in a significant competition.
It appears that the 21-year-old will take on a key role under Thomas Tuchel, likely slotting into an attacking midfield position and pushing ahead of players such as
Cole Palmer
and
Phil Foden
Having to modify their gameplay if they wish to be part of the team.
Bellingham epitomizes contemporary English football. A technically proficient player who has likely not yet reached his full potential for his nation, he is now poised to seize his opportunity—should we consider it an opportunity—with all earnestness.
He is among only four players who do not play professionally in the nation they represent internationally. Although he is now performing impressively in Spain, he serves as the team captain.
Harry Kane
is in Tuchel’s native Germany,
Jordan Henderson
He plays for Ajax in the Netherlands and
Kyle Walker
is in Italy with
AC Milan
– albeit on loan from
Manchester City
.
That said, when all is said and done, he is a boy from Brum – not the first and not the last in the England squad.
Jack Grealish
perhaps the most notable.
However, there is another person from Bellingham’s hometown, his closest buddy who is currently part of the England team with him – someone perhaps less recognized but significant nonetheless, and this individual is Morgan Rogers. In fact, during the previous training session, Rogers referred to Bellingham as his ‘little big brother’.
Rogers, who has played for Aston Villa in both the Premier League and Champions League this season, earned his first start with England’s national team on Monday night when he began the match against Latvia.
18 months ago, he was playing in the Championship for Middlesbrough, having joined the club for £1.5million from Manchester City, who were no longer interested in his services.
Rogers, who was 22 at the time but had just turned 17 when he signed with City in 2019, left West Brom in the Midlands to advance his career further. A year after Rogers made this move, Bellingham transferred from Birmingham to Borussia Dortmund.
Rogers acknowledges there were higher hopes for him than Bellingham, who often comments on his friends’ social media posts, at that stage, but things didn’t go his way. Speaking to ITV before the clash with Latvia, he admits that he found it hard to express himself in a rigid system.
Loans to clubs such as Lincoln, Bournemouth, and Blackpool came next, after which he found stability at Middlesbrough under Michael Carrick. Later, in 2024, he moved to Aston Villa.
After scoring 12 goals and providing seven assists, he has become one of the most thrilling offensive talents in the Premier League – and nobody may be prouder than Bellingham.
It’s clear once you’re aware of their relationship. They are very good friends—perhaps even inseparable—and can often be spotted with big smiles beside one another prior to the event.
England
the games they’ve participated in jointly.
It goes back to Rogers’ fifth birthday. ‘I don’t remember it, but apparently he came to my party,’ England’s newest man reveals.
He mentions that it was even more delightful to share the stage with him once again,” he states. “It’s wonderful to know that we can enjoy these instances together, and seeing him equally content and filled with pride makes it all the better.
‘My mum knows his parents quite well, to do with work and stuff. We have always been around each other, and playing against each other in the academies.
‘Being in the first Under-15 camp together, both being from Birmingham, we kind of stuck to each other, and it’s from then on.
We likely lived within walking distance of one another. Our relationship has somewhat mirrored rivalry, with my allegiance being for West Brom and his for Birmingham.
They played pretty much alongside each other at Wembley on Monday. In the 26th minute, they tried a neat one-two, with Rogers unable to flick the ball back to his mate under pressure.
But the two are likely to be by each other’s sides for a long time to come. They could yet meet in the Champions League semi-final. Rogers is on the fringes for now, but, if he carries up his current form, he will be a regular just like Bellingham.
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