Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham credits Wayne Rooney as career influencer

Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, who recently received the prestigious Golden Boy award in Turin, Italy, acknowledged Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney as the player who had the most significant impact on his career during his formative years in football.

During the awards ceremony on Monday, Bellingham expressed gratitude to everyone who contributed to his journey, stating, “I can’t be more grateful to all the people I have met along the way to help get me to the point I am at now.”

He specifically highlighted Wayne Rooney as a significant influence, saying, “I think Wayne Rooney was probably my biggest influence growing up, obviously being from England and the way he played, the way he fought, but there are so many other players that I have taken bits from.”

Expressing his overall appreciation for football’s role in his life, Bellingham added, “I’m really grateful for everything football has given me so far in my life, and the support from my family to keep playing and keep enjoying it has been huge.”

Bellingham’s stellar performance since joining Real Madrid from Dortmund this year has been noteworthy. The England international has scored 15 goals in various competitions, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the most goals scored in a player’s first 15 games at Los Blancos.

In addition, Erling Haaland of Manchester City clinched the Golden Player Man award, surpassing Lionel Messi, for his remarkable contributions that played a crucial role in Pep Guardiola’s side achieving a treble last season.