Former England captain John Terry has compared Jude Bellingham to French football legend Zinedine Zidane.
Terry called the midfielder the key player in England’s journey to the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
On the FIFA Podcast on Monday, Terry mentioned how Bellingham's performances remind him of Zidane’s impact during France’s 1998 World Cup win and their 2006 final run.
“I said at the start of this World Cup, he reminds me of Zidane. He’s dragging this team through at the moment. I think he’s world class. Also, you listen to him off the pitch, he’s got a real calmness about him as well,” Terry said.
Bellingham has scored four goals in England’s knockout-stage matches. He netted twice in the 3-2 round-of-16 win over co-hosts Mexico City and added another two in the quarter-final victory over Norway.
Former Brazil midfielder Gilberto Silva supported Terry’s view, saying Bellingham has performed well in big matches.
“In these big matches, that’s when you need your big players to step up, and he has shown that over the past two years, before with Real Madrid and now in the World Cup,” Silva said.
“I think there’s a lot more to come from him. He’s in a way similar to Zidane and the comparison JT made with Zidane makes sense.”
Bellingham’s two goals against Norway made him the first midfielder to score six goals at a FIFA World Cup.
England will now play defending champions Argentina in the semi-finals. But Terry said he believes the Three Lions can make it to the final.
“I’m not worried about Argentina, if I’m honest.
“I don’t look at Argentina and sit here being worried about them being better than us.
“I think, man-for-man, we’re better than Argentina.
“You know what I like about this England side at the minute? We’ve had big moments.
We’ve got a good side but it feels like everything’s going for us. It feels like it’s England’s time,” he concluded.
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