Bellingham was ‘like a 28-year-old’ at 16, reveals former England youth coach

Jude Bellingham’s rise to the top of world football came as no surprise to those who worked with him at England youth level, according to his former coach Richie Kyle. The Bolton Wanderers assistant head coach worked with Bellingham during his time in the Under-16s and Under-17s setup, and has told Mirror Football exactly why the midfielder always stood out from an already star-studded group.

Bellingham is expected to line up for Thomas Tuchel’s England side when they face Mexico in the World Cup last-16 tie, having already contributed two goals and an assist during the tournament. The 23-year-old’s journey from Birmingham City’s academy to becoming one of Real Madrid’s most important players has been remarkable, and Kyle believes there is still more to come.

A “unique” talent even at 16

Kyle, who coached the group alongside Kevin Betsy through to Under-17 level before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the pathway, told Mirror Football: “Jude is one of the most unique players I have ever come across. I got him at 16 with Kevin Betsy and we took this group through to Under-17s until Covid hit, but in that group were Jude and Jamal Musiala; they both played centre-midfield.”

He added: “Then you had Levi Colwill, Jarell Quansah, Tino Livramento and Harvey Elliott, so the group was ridiculous, really, especially when you look back now.” That cohort has since produced a host of Premier League and international regulars, yet Kyle insists Bellingham was always a cut above.

Mature beyond his years

Kyle explained that Bellingham’s maturity, both on and off the pitch, marked him out from his peers even as a teenager. “But Jude was a man beyond his years at 16. He was so mature,” he said. “You come across a lot of these kids now and they aren’t necessarily shy, but they can’t communicate.”

He continued: “I have always found that communicating is becoming less and less due to social media and due to technology, but Jude was just a freak; it was like speaking to a 28-year-old sometimes.” Kyle recalled that Bellingham would take a lead role even in team debriefs, standing up to address the group after matches to explain what could have been done better.

“It was his maturity off the pitch, but on it he was just an athletic specimen,” Kyle said. “He was not necessarily bigger than everyone else, but it was just his mobility. He had the athleticism to get box-to-box, and every tournament that we went to there were European scouts looking at Jude and other players as well, but Jude was always the one who stood out and you thought would get to the top.”

From Birmingham to the Bernabeu

Bellingham broke into Birmingham City’s first team at just 16 in 2019, making 44 appearances for the Championship club before Borussia Dortmund signed him in 2020. He continued to develop in the Bundesliga before completing a move to Real Madrid in July 2023, worth an initial €103 million (£88.3 million), which made him the third most-expensive teenager in football history.

Manchester City and Liverpool were among the clubs interested in Bellingham before he chose Real Madrid, where he has gone on to win the Champions League and La Liga. Kyle admitted he was not surprised by the speed of his progress. “It was more a case of how quick he would get there, and I wasn’t surprised he got to Real Madrid as quickly as he did,” he said.

Looking ahead, Kyle believes Bellingham’s best years may still be to come as England prepare for their World Cup last-16 clash with Mexico. “Do I think there is more to come? I have total faith in his ability and he could be one of the most successful players in the history of English football if he wants to be,” he said.

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