First scouting report on Bellingham: At 16, he inspires awe, never panics...

It may have seemed funny to many in the summer of 2020 when Birmingham retired the number 22 shirt, which was worn by Jude Bellingham for just one season in the Championship, before being sent to Borussia Dortmund for €30,000,000, and the club from its sales provided an escape from bankruptcy.

How Bellingham looks on the field since he changed from the yellow and black of Borussia to the white equipment of the Royal Club, the one that did not do good for many super-talented guys and projected stars of world football, no one is laughing anymore at the move of the English club.

When he left Westfalen for Santiago Bernabeu this summer, there was the same skepticism that sent Erling Haaland from Dortmund to Manchester. "It's easy in the Bundesliga, let's see him now in the toughest test, in the Premier League." Similar outpourings of incredulity breathed down Bellingham's neck, but the 20-year-old didn't look back. He simply started scoring goals, spreading his arms triumphantly and saying "I'm not in Rome, but I'm the emperor". In an instant, he became the first man of probably the most powerful football empire and judging by how he looks on the field, many will agree that there is currently no better player than him on the globe... Because the young Englishman scores, sets up goals, creates chances, he carries the ball, carries rivals on his back, and just like that, hardly any blade of grass of the field remains untouched by his boots.

And some person, or some people, who understand football very well predicted the future on August 6, 2019. Then, as Birmingham's 16-year-old, Bellingham ran onto the field against Portsmouth, and the first round game of the League Cup was followed by scouts from an unnamed Premier League club. The English media got hold of the first scouting report on Bellingham, and the man who typed it certainly deserved a raise. With the fact that the management of that, for now anonymous English club, is probably still scratching their heads to this day, because they did not react in time, because they were petty, because they did not want to make the move that Borussia Dortmund was ready for - to cash out 30,150,000 euros and make Bellingham the highest paid teenager on the planet at that moment.

Jude is Ballon d'Or material

"He is only 16 years old, but he is awe-inspiring. He seems to be about 185 centimeters tall, he is athletically built, with long legs and huge feet. He is still developing physically, but he has the stuff to become a serious phenomenon and a graceful runner. He moves naturally. Has long strides with a lot of power. Has a fantastic mentality, intelligently finds space to receive the ball. Gets between the lines and opens up the field. Makes a lot of ball movement to stretch the lines and rarely loses possessions. He never panics with the ball at his feet, uses his body to get out of pressure situations. He doesn't hesitate to start on the ball and was booked in the second half for a hard tackle. Huge potential, at 16 he manages with the first team of Portsmouth. Bring him in, develop him, send him on loan. In 18 months he will be ready to play for our first team," read the mentioned scouting report in full.

Recommendation: Read again, carefully, what talent hunters had to say four years ago. So if you haven't watched much of Bellingham this season, at least take a look at a compilation of the best moves. The words about the 16-year-old kid from Sturbridge will be copied without fail, on what today's England international and Real Madrid star is doing on the field.

"He was so dominant. So strong. He does everything on the field. He always plays for the team. Only Messi impressed me that much in those years. Of course, Bellingham is different from Leo, but if he stays humble, he could follow in Messi's footsteps because he is a world-class player," said AC Milan's legendary coach Arrigo Sacchi after the recent clash between England and Italy.