The past year has placed Jude Bellingham under a level of media scrutiny that feels disproportionate even for a superstar. Not even his impact at Real Madrid or his central role with England has managed to silence the noise. What began as harmless commentary about his “body language” has morphed into a recurring narrative that follows him through every camp, every substitution, and every facial expression.
Yet despite what some headlines suggest, Bellingham is far from isolated.

In his documentary Out Of The Floodlights, released a year ago, he said something that now feels prophetic: “They always need someone to play the villain… It looks like that someone is going to be me.”
This international break has proved him right.

A Spotlight That Has Gone Too Far

Sections of the British press —particularly the Daily Mail— have brought an exaggerated level of attention to every gesture from Bellingham. For several former England internationals, this is no coincidence.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright offered one of the most striking perspectives: he believes critics “hate that they can’t derail his career the way they did with others.”

Bellingham broke the traditional path early. He left England at 16, rejected Premier League giants for Borussia Dortmund, then made the bold jump to Real Madrid. That independence, that refusal to follow the script, has not sat well with everyone.

Even the recent episode at Wembley —where he received a cold reception and a public “warning” from Thomas Tuchel— added fuel to the media’s obsession. But this time, the response did not come only from fans.

Former Players Push Back and Defend Jude

The strongest defence came from former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor, who reacted to Bellingham’s frustration after being substituted against Albania —a moment that somehow became front-page controversy in the UK.

“If another player does the same thing, it’s not news,” Agbonlahor said.
“Jude didn’t have his best game, but he still won Man of the Match. He just wants to play every minute.”

He even called out journalist Craig Hope, responsible for several of the harshest articles:

“You can’t take people like him seriously. Celebrate a great player. When he makes mistakes, correct him, but we’re forcing everything way too much. Leave the kid alone.”

His words echoed Ian Wright’s sentiment: Bellingham is being treated differently for reasons that go far beyond football.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail doubled down. Hope published a piece titled:
“Why Tuchel Should Leave Bellingham Out of the World Cup?”
The print version was even more absurd: “Leave Jude at Home.”
A campaign that clashes with both reality and performance.

A Generational Leader — On and Off the Pitch

Beyond the noise, Bellingham’s résumé speaks loudly: England Men’s Player of the Year (2024–25), the Englishman with the most caps before turning 21, the second-youngest England scorer at a World Cup, and one of the most influential midfielders in Europe.

The attempts to build a villain narrative keep failing for one simple reason: Bellingham’s talent, maturity, and leadership continue to outshine all the manufactured controversy around him.