Manchester United defender backs Real Madrid rising star to win Ballon d’Or | OneFootball

Not many would have expected Jude Bellingham’s first season at Real Madrid to progress as it did. The English phenom took no time to adapt to life in Spain and broke numerous records, standing out as one of the pillars of Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

The youngster’s form saw a dip towards the end of the season and it is clear that he is still not at his best. That, however, has not stopped him from playing a critical role in England’s run in the ongoing Euros.

It was the Real Madrid star who scored a stoppage-time equaliser to save his country from being eliminated vs Slovakia, and later today, he will lead the Three Lions’ charge in the semifinal against the Netherlands.

Luke Shaw backs Bellingham

Speaking to the media earlier this week, England left-back Luke Shaw was asked about his compatriot and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or this year.

“He’s had an incredible season, winning the Champions League and La Liga, so adding the Euro to that list wouldn’t be a bad year. So why not win the Ballon d’Or?,” he said, justifying his stance as revealed by L’Equipe.

Luke Shaw backs Bellingham for Ballon d’Or. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Having won both domestic and Champions League titles with Los Blancos earlier this year, the young midfielder is undoubtedly among the frontrunners to take home the prized accolade this year.

The internal battle

Bellingham’s biggest competitor, as it stands, appears to be Vinicius Jr. although a case can be made for Manchester City’s Rodri if Spain win the Euros.

Bellingham and Vinicius are expected to finish in the top three in the Ballon d’Or race and are perhaps the two best-placed candidates.

With the duo’s club-level achievements almost at par, their performance for their countries could well prove to be the deciding factor.

Considering that Vinicius’ Copa América quest ended in the quarterfinal stage after a defeat to Uruguay, Bellingham could have the advantage.

All eyes are thus on Bellingham and England’s upcoming semifinal against the Netherlands. After all, it could well decide the Ballon d’Or race.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​