Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham heaps praise on Man United and England star | OneFootball

Real Madrid player Jude Bellingham has praised his England teammate Kobbie Mainoo, who has impressed with his performances on the international scene.

The Manchester United youngster has had a brilliant season and has established himself as a regular member of Erik ten Hag’s starting lineup. The Englishman caught attention during United’s recent FA Cup triumph over Liverpool, which initially earned him a call-up to the England U21s squad.

Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate went against his initial decision and decided to integrate Mainoo into the senior setup. The young prodigy came off the bench to make his debut in the Brazil defeat last Saturday and started the friendly against Belgium alongside Declan Rice and Bellingham at the heart of the midfield.

Bellingham, who scored the dramatic equaliser with the last kick of the game in England’s 2-2 draw with Belgium, was quick to credit Mainoo for his ability to deal with pressure following his call-up to the senior squad.

He said: “Kobbie Mainoo is very good. I know how hard it can be when there’s a clamour and people put a lot of pressure on you, but he’s definitely a brilliant player. He’s going to have an amazing future at Man United and hopefully for England as well.”

The two English midfielders played against each other last summer, when Manchester United played Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly in Houston. However, an early collision saw Mainoo limp off, and as the 18-year-old was making his way down the touchline, Bellingham scored his first goal for Los Blancos with a delicate chip over André Onana.

Rajan Sangha | GSFN