Keane: Bellingham's Bound for All-Time Great Status

In front of a sparse crowd in Rijeka, the Real Madrid midfielder put on a clinic. He scored one. Created three more. That's four goal involvements in a single England match – a feat we haven't seen since David Platt managed it way back in 1993. Think about that.

Keane, never shy with an opinion on ITV, nailed what truly makes Bellingham different. It's his intensity without the ball. "His work rate off the ball, that will inspire all the other players," the Sky Sports man grumbled, not exactly a compliment often dished out by Keane. He saw a "complete performance" from the 23-year-old. Complete. And Bellingham's been quietly piling up the numbers too, 13 goal involvements in his last 11 games since the World Cup. That's not nothing.

Thomas Tuchel, his manager, was on the same page. Told reporters Bellingham had somehow hit the "next level." Fair enough. But Tuchel also threw in a healthy dose of caution, a reminder that getting comfortable kills careers in this game. "The level that you showed last week is never enough in the next week," he warned. A cold splash of reality.

Bukayo Saka, who bagged a brace himself, chimed in. Called Bellingham "special," even handing him England's men's player of the year award for 2025/26 early. The whole front four – Kane, Bellingham, Saka, and Gordon – all got on the scoresheet. Kane, Mr. Dependable, pointed out the tactical fluidity that leaves poor defenders scrambling, never quite sure where the attack is coming from. A nightmare.

And Croatia? The 14th-ranked team in the world? They were, to put it mildly, an absolute shambles. Utterly overwhelmed. Keane, again, didn't hold back, comparing them to a Sunday League outfit. Or words to that effect. A brutal assessment, but probably fair.