Steven Gerrard has told Jude Bellingham he is "a lot further ahead" than he was at 19 in a glowing review of the England youngster.
Bellingham, 19, put in another solid performance for the Three Lions to help them beat Ukraine 2-0 at Wembley on Sunday evening. Goals from Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka were the difference, with Bellingham earning his 22nd senior cap for his country.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder is being tipped to make a summer transfer, with Liverpool, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City all after his signature. Yet the Reds might just win that transfer battle after Bellingham's telling admission.
The teenager admitted Gerrard was a player he "looked up to" as a kid - leaving Liverpool fans excited. Jurgen Klopp and the red half of Merseyside would love Bellingham to follow in Gerrard's footsteps by leading Liverpool's midfield for years to come.
Bellingham told Channel 4 at full-time, "The things that Stevie could do in terms of the teams he played in, the way he could carry a team, the way he could kind of single-handedly win a game, he could do everything as a midfielder. I’ve definitely said it multiple times I’ve looked up to you so it’s a pleasure to be stood here [next to Gerrard]."
Gerrard responded, "Listen, let me tell you right now, you’re a lot further ahead than I was at your age, so you’re going in the right direction."
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Bellingham remained humble by telling Gerrard "there's a long way to go". Yet the former England skipper replied, "Well, for one he’s got a better body than what I had at 19. No seriously, I probably never had that power and that strength until probably 22 or 23, so he’s definitely more physically developed than me.
"He’s more confident than me on the ball in terms of what he’ll try, and I’m not just saying that just being modest, I’m saying that as it’s the truth. I think he’s further on than what I was at 19. Don’t get me wrong, I got to where I wanted to get to and he’ll naturally get to where he wants to if he keeps on doing what he’s doing.
"But he’s in a fantastic place and everything else around him he just needs to park it up and keep playing well and everything else will take care of itself."
Bellingham also revealed his desire to captain England one day. The former Birmingham City youngster has already led Dortmund - who are top of the Bundesliga table - but he is in no rush to take armband off the likes of Kane and Jordan Henderson.
Bellingham added, "I think that would be the biggest dream. It’s the biggest honour in football, I think, captaining your country, especially when you’re playing for a nation like England. At the minute there’s obviously a long pecking order I highly respect - H [Kane] and Hendo, all of the lads that fall below that.
"I’ll wait my turn but in the meantime it’s all about picking up from those guys in terms of leadership. In Dortmund I’ve been given a bit more responsibility this year in that sense so it’s just about trying to learn all the time, really, and this is the best place to do it."
