English football icon issues strong defence of Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham has had a far from straightforward season so far, with the Real Madrid man having missed the first few weeks of the campaign after undergoing shoulder surgery in the summer. He initially struggled for form, and although he has since turned things around, a new issue has arisen.

During the international break, Bellingham received much criticism in England for his reaction to being substituted against Albania. However, Ian Wright has now come to his defence, with the former Arsenal striker stating that much of the hate received by the Real Madrid superstar comes from those “scared” by him, as per MD.

“I’m worried about Jude simply because he’s someone the media can’t control. It’s showing people: here I am, I’m black, I’m proud, I’m ready. I don’t think England is ready for a black superstar.

“They can’t touch him. He goes out there, performs and does what he does. He’s too daring for those people. Someone like Jude, for some reason, scares these people because of his ability and inspiration that he can give.

“I’ll put it in football terms: everyone loves N’Golo Kanté. He’s a humble black man, he does his thing and he just has that personality. But if you have a Paul Pogba, or a Bellingham, and you have that kind of energy, that doesn’t sit well with people.”

Bellingham was making his first England start since June

The match against Albania last weekend was Bellingham’s first start of the season for England, as he had been left out of the October squad, as per his own request. During his absence, he lost some prominence due to the good performances of others, although he did snag the MVP award for his display in Tirana.

Bellingham has now returned to Madrid, as he and his Real Madrid teammates gear up for Sunday’s clash against Elche.