When Gareth Southgate was discussing the progress of Jude Bellingham the other day, he listed the number of positions the teenager had played in this season.
It went on and on and on and on. But safe to say, wherever Bellingham is deployed on a football field, he is some player. There were so many flashes of his brilliance here, you understand why Liverpool and Real Madrid already appear to have put markers down for when he decides to move on from Borussia Dortmund.
Every player at this elite level has a deep well of confidence, obviously. But even allowing for the cockiness of youth, it is still startling to see an 18-year-old so self-assured. In a recent Europa League game against Rangers, he was so self-assured he felt entitled to give a team-mate 10 years his senior an almighty telling-off.
Bellingham knows he is good. And never mind the double-pivot stuff; this sort of advanced position - behind a front man with a licence to run in behind - suits him beautifully. Actually, he doesn’t so much run in behind, as saunter in behind. Everything, even running, looks effortless where Bellingham is concerned.
But for someone who plays with such elegant fluidity, Bellingham has quick feet and plenty of tricks - both assets helping to create the chance that was deflected on to the post by keeper Badra Ali Sangare. Maybe it is because he has played in so many roles for Dortmund, he only has three Bundesliga goals this season.
In this position, he can be a regular goal threat, curling another opportunity just wide late in the first half. Bellingham has 13 assists for his club in all competitions this season and his precise pass for Ollie Watkins - even though the Villa man was a touch offside - showed you exactly why.
He is a slightly different style of player but Bellingham can, in the future, have the sort of influence on a football match that Kevin de Bruyne has. He can be that accomplished. The run into the box that initially brought a penalty decision from the over-zealous Erik Lambrechts - rightly reversed - was a De Bruyne-style run.
Again, he cuts a different figure to De Bruyne but do not underestimate the impact Bellingham can have on the attacking prowess of this English midfield. Ahead of the World Cup, Bellingham might well move to the Premier League. In that pre-match chat about Bellingham, Southgate claimed the standard of the Premier League was considerably higher than that of the Bundesliga.
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And there are few who would disagree. But it does not appear to be doing Bellingham any harm. Every time you see him in an England jersey, he shines even brighter. His sort of precocious talent is part of the reason Southgate has committed himself to England until 2024.
But in the here and now, in Qatar, he can already be the boy who makes the difference. World Cup 2022 is a stage made for Jude Bellingham.
