Football News: Despite Borussia Dortmund’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City, Jude Bellingham put in a stellar performance at the Etihad Stadium.
A former Birmingham City academy product, Jude Bellingham became the youngest player to represent the Blues in the senior squad. In the days that followed, he too became Birmingham’s youngest-ever goalscorer.
Within a few months of his senior team career, Bellingham began receiving larger offers from many teams. Finally, he decided to sign for Borussia Dortmund at the start of the 2020-21 season.
In Dortmund, Bellingham gradually continued his development and soon began to figure in the dynamics of the first team. Bellingham then scored on his Dortmund debut and became the youngest player to do so.
It’s not often you see Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City lose control of a match. However, that was what happened in the recently concluded Champions League tie against Dortmund and the architect of it was none other than Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham’s brilliant ball skills were on display at the Etihad last night. The midfielder thoroughly controlled the tempo of the game and created chances for his team.
In the fifteenth minute of the match, Bellingham created the first chance of the match. The midfielder released Raphael Guerreiro, who finally found Ozacán before Ederson saved a meekly timed shot.
After that, Bellingham was in the thick of the action once when he blocked England international Jack Grealish’s shot and showed his defensive qualities.
Over the next few minutes in the first, City failed to create anything dangerous as Bellingham’s reading and distribution of the game was already making them suffer.
In the second half, Dortmund once again came very close to opening the scoring when Bellingham brilliantly found Ozcan wide before Marcos Reus narrowly missed an angled shot from the same attack.
Minutes later, however, Dortmund finally scored when a Reus cross was headed in by Jude Bellingham.
Then City came out of their shell and did their best to turn the game around. However, until John Stions’ lightning strike in the 80th minute, they didn’t even come close to asking the Dortmund goalkeeper any questions.
Finally, City made an incredible comeback with a brilliant run of play in the final minutes and all three points were secured.
Despite all this, no one can deny that Bellingham is the man of the match.
A jewel for the English team
Bellingham has already featured for the national team in the recent past. He will once again be a key player for England in the next world cup. His ability to play multiple positions will give Southgate an interesting option in midfield.
He is now one of the favorites to fill the vacant England midfield guard spot with West Ham’s Declan Rice.
