The letter ‘B’ stands for Bellingham. It also means battered, bruised and bullied.
The four went toe-to-toe here at Wembley on Saturday night as Brazil ruthlessly tried to stop the pin-up boy of English football.
Kicked from pillar to post, Brazil’s strategy was clear. Beat him. Torment him. Kick him.
Stop Jude Bellingham by any means necessary.
Given the spectacular season he is having at Real Madrid, it is probably the only way to stop him.
Jude Bellingham was kicked from pillar to post during England’s loss to Brazil on Saturday.
Brazil’s strategy to stop the English midfielder by any means was clear
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Lucas Paqueta took a piece of it. Bruno Guimaraes did the same. They weren’t the only ones.
Bellingham should take that as a compliment, although his body may not take it so well when he wakes up on Sunday morning.
Of course, it’s something you’ll just have to get used to. He comes with the territory of being an elite attacking footballer.
Ask Kylian Mbappé. Ask Lionel Messi. Ask Cristiano Ronaldo.
Closer to home, it’s something Bukayo Saka has had to acclimatise to, much to the chagrin of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
But what Saka has done well is that he has learned not to bite. Don’t be fooled by Saka’s cold exterior, the treatment she receives from her eats away at you.
But he makes his attackers pay the maximum price, without resorting to anything more sinister, with his brilliance on the pitch.
Goals and assists. That’s where Saka’s true value lies. The same goes for Bellingham.
It’s something he will have to get used to, as will his teammate Bukayo Saka (pictured).
The true value of the 20-year-old is in the goals and assists and this way he can get revenge
There is no doubt that Bellingham can withstand such rough treatment. Even at 20 years old, he is physically imposing.
Tall and athletic, he can mix it up if necessary. Indeed, an early challenge behind Guimaraes for which Bellingham was booked illustrated that he is not one to be pressured.
That’s a trait of Bellingham’s entire game that sets him apart. Yes, the technical ability is exceptional, but there is a physical edge to his game that has contributed to his emergence as a generational talent.
Wayne Rooney was the same. Full of skill, but with an inherent fighting spirit.
But there were times when Rooney failed to temper his emotions, something that cost England and Manchester United.
Retaliation and punishment are tempting, but often costly.
Bellingham is the most exciting English talent since Wayne Rooney and needs to make sure he tempers his emotions when attacked.
Brazil’s treatment of Bellingham on Saturday night is probably a sign of things to come. The important thing is that he somehow controls any impulse to seek revenge by any means other than his football excellence.
Because if England are to win the European Championship this summer, then their prodigious midfielder will be front and center in their quest for glory.
Already a hero in the eyes of the fans, cries of ‘Juuuuuuuude’ echoed around Wembley just before kick-off.
‘Belligoal’ was posted on England’s official X account that same day accompanied by a short video of their superstar number 10 cheekily scoring in training at St George’s Park last week.
Not since Rooney burst onto the scene in the 2000s has there been this level of rave about a young English footballer.
He, along with captain Harry Kane (right), will be key to England’s hopes at this summer’s European Championship.
When England travel to Germany this summer, it will be this prodigiously talented 20-year-old (and captain Harry Kane) who will carry the nation’s hopes.
The reality, of course, is that it will take more than Bellingham and Kane for England to end 58 years of pain.
Southgate warned about it on Friday. But who does the England manager think he is fooling?
Immortality awaits England. Bellingham awaits too, although the way his career is progressing there is a good chance he will achieve immortal status regardless of how England fares later this year.
Used as a number 10, Bellingham showed flashes of the brilliance that has led him to conquer Real Madrid this season against Brazil.
It was clear that Southgate had relieved Bellingham of the defensive duties he normally performed so diligently in his more generic role as a box-to-box midfielder.
It remains to be seen whether Bellingham will take on a similar advanced role in Germany. He will probably depend on the opposition as well.
The temptation to play Bellingham in a more advanced role is clear given his success with Real Madrid this season.
The temptation to place Bellingham deeper in the attacking third is clear – 20 goals in 31 appearances for Real this season speak for themselves.
However, here against Brazil, you felt he would be more useful in a deeper midfield role, where he would see the ball more.
Southgate has three months to sort all that out. But wherever he plays, Bellingham will be pivotal to England’s aspirations this summer.