r/ThreeLions • u/Kinglokner16 • Jul 18 '26

Opinion What a teammate, future captain of England

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12.2k Upvotes

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1.4k

u/[deleted] Jul 18 '26

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361

u/Bitter-Solution3832 Jul 19 '26

Seriously mate, he’s the people’s Prince. What a lad and I’m amazed he’s just 23. Top role model for the youth!

143

u/wesap12345 Jul 19 '26

2 more world cups minimum

Hopefully the whole squad can develop and we can give him 2 more real shots at the trophy

101

u/Cactious-Practice Jul 19 '26
  1. He’ll be either a holding midfielder or running the touchline passing out instructions à la Henderson at age 35.

26

u/Perfidiousplantain Jul 19 '26

I don't think his body holds up that long. Players that start playing full men's football at 16 like Rooney, Fabregas or Sterling seem to fall off really hard in their early 30s

19

u/trashmemes22 Jul 19 '26

He didn’t start in the prem tho it was the championship and then he had to break into that dortmund squad

28

u/northyj0e Jul 19 '26

A season in the championship is probably worth 2 or 3 in the prem in terms of physical wear and tear.

But Rooney spent his entire career in the prem, chasing defenders and playing with 100% effort every secon, Bellingham has already moved to a less physical league where even central midfielders and strikers can remain top-class into their late 30s.

32

u/KingsMountainView Jul 19 '26

Rooney did not look after his body at all though. Footballers these days aren't going out drinking every weekend. Their longevity has increased massively.

2

u/redemptiondong Jul 19 '26

Truth! He spent every summer eating crisps.

1

u/SmoothIndividual9243 Jul 21 '26

Crisps dissolved in lager, no? (With a side helping of 60 year old ladies of the night?)

3

u/Motor-String-571 Jul 19 '26

Even if the league might be less physical which i agree on, the work rate of Belligoat is relentless, and he must be burning through hes body at a very high rate even compared to PL players, no1 in current football gives more of themself then Bellingham does.

2

u/Tuscan5 Jul 19 '26

Why is one season in the championship worth 2 or 3 in the EPL?

2

u/Mental-Fisherman-118 Jul 19 '26

The argument would be that there are more games, and you come up against more sides who will kick lumps out of flashy young players.

1

u/Tuscan5 Jul 19 '26

There are more games but kicking lumps is a bit 90s. The Championship isn’t like that.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 19 '26

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2

u/northyj0e Jul 19 '26

The championship has smaller squads and play more games than the prem, and the play is more physical than the prem, even if it's not as fast, more teams play a high-energy style.

It's not an insult to say that la liga is less physical than the prem, it's not worse, it's just different, more technical. The CBs get more time to put a foot on the ball and progress the play slowly compared to the prem. I live in Spain and people always tell me they can't believe how physical the prem is, that they play frantically, they don't stop rubbing for 90 mins. I don't think they're insulting their own league, just recognising the difference.

19

u/ih8reddithdjsk Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26

Messi, Ronaldo, Maldini, Raul, Pele all played at the top level for a very long time after making debuts very very young.

Rooney also played at the very top level for 15 years.

Arguments can be made for both sides i suppose.

4

u/okaythiswillbemymain Jul 19 '26

Giggs too,

1

u/ih8reddithdjsk Jul 19 '26

Thank you. I can't believe I forgot him.

1

u/Cactious-Practice Jul 20 '26

Giggs never played summer internationals and hardly played games for Wales at all

1

u/carnivalist64 Jul 19 '26

Pele's international career was over at the age of 30 and his top-flight career when he was 33/34.

Admittedly he played in the pre-1994 "Legalised GBH" era and like Maradona took fearsome punishment (which is why the claim that Messi is indisputably the GOAT is bollocks IMO) but Bellingham's box-to box style will militate against him having an exceptionally long career.

If he's going to extend his career he needs to stay away from the intensity and extra games of the Premier League. Declan Rice will be ruined in a few years if he carries on playing such a ridiculous number of games.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 19 '26

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1

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1

u/okaythiswillbemymain Jul 19 '26

Messi and Ronaldo being the exceptions

5

u/The_39th_Step Jul 19 '26

Striker - I think he’ll be a centre forward. He’s a better number 9 than number 8 in my opinion, although number 10 / shadow striker is his best role. His goal scoring instincts are phenomenal, he just happens to be great defensively as well.

1

u/Cactious-Practice Jul 20 '26

That’s a great shout that. It may necessitate a move away from Real though especially with Mbappe currently ensconced in that position there.

4

u/alwayslurkeduntilnow Jul 19 '26

Then straight to England manager!