Thomas Tuchel’s first England lineup saw Jude Bellingham earn his 41st senior cap, surpassing the previous record for most caps by a player aged 21 or under, a feat once held by Wayne Rooney.
Despite his established reputation, the Real Madrid midfielder is still too young to rent a car in the UK. Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, the only player in the starting XI against Albania younger than Bellingham, was making his international debut. Yet, much like Rooney in his early days, Bellingham carries himself with the maturity of a far more seasoned player—and his cap tally reflects that confidence.
Rooney’s early England career arguably outshone Bellingham’s in terms of sheer stardom. Back in Euro 2004, England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson famously compared the 18-year-old forward to footballing legend Pelé, a bold statement that was not questioned. Rooney’s talent propelled England to the quarter-finals of the tournament, though his injury before their penalty shootout loss to Portugal cut short his impact.
Fast forward two decades, and Bellingham’s performances have helped England reach the Euro 2024 final, though they were again defeated by Spain.
By the time he turned 22 in October 2007, Rooney had amassed 40 caps. Bellingham surpassed that total against Albania and could add up to three more caps before his 22nd birthday in June.
Though they come from different footballing eras, Rooney and Bellingham did share a brief on-field encounter. During the 2020 lockdown, they faced off for over an hour in the Championship, where Rooney, at 34, was winding down his career with Derby. “I was playing deep in midfield, controlling the game, and he man-marked me,” Rooney recalled. “I kept dragging him out of position, and he didn’t like it. But what I love about him is when he tackles, he leaves a mark on you, just like I used to.”
These similarities are no coincidence. When Bellingham was named the world’s best player under 21 in 2023, he credited Rooney as his “biggest influence growing up,” citing the way Rooney played and fought as a major inspiration for him.
