- The English midfielder is currently one of the great figures in world football
- Now at Real Madrid, Bellingham is looking to be in his first FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11
- Will Bellingham receive the votes from his fellow professionals and be named in the world team of the year?
At just 20 years of age, Jude Bellingham is one of the footballing sensations in Europe today. His season at Real Madrid has amazed the club and its supporters around the world, but before he arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu, his football had captivated Borussia Dortmund. It also caught the attention of his fellow professionals, who voted Bellingham as one of the 23 finalists for the 2023 FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11.
The 2023 team of the year, which as always rewards the best players in each position, has a special feature compared to previous occasions: it is based on performances in the second half of last season, after the 2022 World Cup. In other words, between 19 December 2022 and 20 August 2023 inclusive, where Bellingham’s brilliance was mainly on show in the black and yellow shirt of BVB.
Bellingham is in the running for the 2023 World 11 alongside fellow midfield nominees Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Luka Modric, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Federico Valverde.
Bellingham in 2023
In collective terms it was a year that ended on a sad note for Bellingham, with Dortmund losing the Bundesliga on the last day of the season to Bayern Munich. He was even a substitute that day due to injury. But on an individual level it was extraordinary: he was voted Bundesliga Player of the Season.
Bellingham scored eight goals and made four assists, numbers that ‘only’ put him in the top five at BVB itself, but his real influence on play was huge. It was evident to see why he was named the youngest captain in the competition since 1995. Nobody played as many minutes as he did for the German runners-up.
The Bundesliga itself highlighted his “leadership skills beyond his years”. As well as his unmistakable talent as a striker, Bellingham also demonstrated his skills at the back by topping his team’s defensive action stats.
All these strengths took him to Real Madrid, where he quickly amassed praise. Only two league matches with Los Blancos fell within the period covered by this year’s World 11, but they provide a small sample of his success: he scored three goals, all in away games.
Individual achievements
- Bundesliga Player of the Season 2022/23
- Bundesliga Team of the Season 2022/23
- Kopa Trophy 2023
- Golden Boy 2023
Bellingham in the FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11
Despite his young age, this is not the first time Bellingham’s name has been associated with the team of the year established by FIFA and FIFPRO on the basis of votes from players all over the world. He was also on the 2022 shortlist of nominees, though he did not make the final 11.
Not only another great season at Borussia Dortmund but also his fine performance during the World Cup in Qatar put him on the verge of making his debut in the World 11, which ended up with a midfield of Casemiro, De Bruyne and Modric.
“I've always seen football as something you have to deal with day by day. There are people who set very specific goals but I always thought that every day you had to give the best of yourself whether in training or in the match and see how far it took me.”
— by Jude Bellingham
The football world talks about Bellingham
"Everyone knows his potential. He helps us and we help him. We're happy to have him with us, he's a leader of ours."
Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic when managing Bellingham
"His mentality is incredible. For someone of his age to show such maturity and intelligence is unbelievable. We are lucky to have him. He’s been the catalyst – the way he carries himself and plays on the field shows that and he’s had that since he walked through the door."
England manager Gareth Southgate
"I’ve been speaking highly of Jude now for a number of years, ever since he’s come in and trained with the boys. You could see his mentality; his physicality is incredible. For such a young boy to have that head on his shoulders and also to be able to deal with it physically, he looks enormous out there. That’s a credit to him.”
Harry Maguire, England international
When will the 2023 FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11 be known?
The FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11 for 2023 will be officially announced at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2023, for which the gala will be held in London, England on Monday 15 January 2024.
It will be made up of the 11 players — out of the 23 included on the final list — who receive the most votes in their position.
