From El Clásico to the FIFA World Cup 2026: England’s Jude Bellingham is built for big moments

Generational talent.

It is a term widely used in football, perhaps too much in some cases. Yet for Jude Bellingham, it feels appropriate. And at 23, he is now carrying a large portion of his nation's hopes on his shoulders at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

It isn’t the first time he has done so, either. At the last EUROs, he was the man of the moment for England. He took the pressure and the outside noise in his stride, decisive in situations that called for a leader.

This kind of presence comes with playing for a club like Real Madrid, where Bellingham has consistently done his talking on the pitch. In doing so, he has developed as a ‘clutch’ player for club and country. Whether it is rescuing his side from the jaws of defeat or a last-minute winner against the run of play, he has mastered the art of stepping up when it counts.

In England’s victory over Panama on Saturday (27 June), he did just that after spending the first half as the conductor in the middle of the park before coming out for the second and playing his part in the game’s only goals.

If the Three Lions are to go deep in this competition, there is an acceptance that Bellingham will be one of the talismen making it happen. Gearing up for a knockout clash against DR Congo on Wednesday (1 July), Olympics.com looks back on the midfielder’s most clutch moments over the course of his career so far.

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Jude Bellingham’s clutch moments for club and country

Brilliant Bellingham at FIFA World Cup 2026

England felt uninspiring against Panama in the first 45. Little happened in front of goal, while the opponents had plenty of joy carving through the midfield down the other end of the pitch.

With no changes made at the interval, the same group of players descended on the pitch to try and make something happen once more. Up stepped Jude Bellingham, whose more subdued role in the first half had been tweaked slightly, allowing him to get forward far more often. While breaking the deadlock came from a corner, his impressive finish from behind the defender saw it nestle into the bottom corner, giving England a much-needed go-ahead.

The 23-year-old then turned provider for Harry Kane to head home and make it two. In a game where the Three Lions struggled to create, Bellingham had the perfect antidote.

While the result did not impact England's status in the knockout stages, it did define what could be a favourable route to the final thanks to his heroics.

A crowning moment in the El Clásico

As far as playing for Real Madrid goes, things do not get much bigger than playing El Clásico against Barcelona. Despite it being his maiden campaign, Bellingham wasted no time settling into the pressure of the fixture.

The first clash between the teams that season came in October, when the Catalan club took an early lead at home. In the second 45, Bellingham struck the equaliser with 20 minutes to go. All level heading into stoppage time, the Englishman found the back of the net once more to seal all three points for Madrid.

If Barça were not already haunted by the Birmingham man, he’d make certain of it in the reverse fixture the following April. With the game at 2-2 and stoppage time looming, it was the midfield maestro who came to Madrid’s rescue yet again. Bellingham scored the game-winner in what was a decisive result for his side’s eventual La Liga title.

EURO 2024 heroics for England

Having shown what he could do for his club, the versatile midfielder was selected for his first major international tournament: EURO 2024.

England, who made the final four years prior, had been looking to build on that success by going one step further this time around. Their progress was threatened at the second hurdle, facing a surprise exit to Slovakia in the Round of 16. The latter led as time ticked on, with England throwing everything at them as stoppage time drew to a close. Then, in what will go down as one of the nation’s great goals, Bellingham deployed an overhead kick to clinch a last-gasp equaliser and keep their journey alive.

Kane bagged early in extra-time as the Three Lions went on to progress. They eventually made a second consecutive final, though were beaten by Spain for the title. It proved a breakout moment for Bellingham on the international stage, going on to become one of his country’s most important players in recent history.

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