Jude Bellingham has enjoyed a rapid rise since joining Borussia Dortmund back in 2020 - and he almost received the ultimate recognition at the Ballon d'Or ceremony earlier this week.
The England star was one of the candidates in contention for the prestigious Golden Boy award at the lavish bash in Paris on Monday night. But unfortunately, he was pipped to the trophy by Barcelona wonderkid Gavi.
Bellingham did, however, receive a glowing endorsement from Lionel Messi, who selected the 19-year-old as his third-choice pick in the votes. Getting the seal of approval from Messi, a former seven time Ballon d'Or winner, is no mean feat - and Bellingham vindicated the Argentine's verdict with another dazzling display for Dortmund on Saturday afternoon.
