In a lacklustre and risk-averse England team, Jude Bellingham unsurprisingly hasn’t been at his best this summer, but nobody has shown a willingness to seize the moment quite like him.
He scored the thumping header that gave England their only win in normal time so far, saved them from an embarrassing exit with a sensational overhead kick, and calmly dispatched his penalty in the shootout against Switzerland. Bellingham has come to the fore and delivered these vital contributions – because of his character as much as his ability. His supreme self-confidence and fierce competitive spirit have long stood out.
