Jude Bellingham: "I didn't deserve the Man of the Match award"

England's young star Jude Bellingham was critical of his own performance after the match against Ghana (0:0) as part of the 2026 World Cup. Although the Real Madrid midfielder was named Man of the Match, he noted that it would have been fairer for one of the opposing team's defenders to receive the award. In the match held in Boston, the English struggled significantly to break through Ghana's defense. According to Goal.com, reports, .

The England national team under Thomas Tuchel failed to overcome the disciplined defensive line organized by former Real Madrid coach Carlos Queiroz. In his post-match interview, Bellingham expressed surprisingly candid views, rejecting the individual award. According to Goal.com, the footballer did not feel he deserved this recognition.

"To be honest, I didn't deserve it. The award should have gone to one of the Ghana representatives who defended very well. It was difficult to get into the game; I am grateful to those who voted, but the opponents did a great job today," the 22-year-old midfielder noted.

Historic record and the "second game fever"

Although the match did not yield the expected result, this encounter held historical significance for Bellingham in terms of personal statistics. At 22 years and 359 days old, he became the youngest player to make 50 appearances for the England national team. In doing so, he successfully broke the record set by the legendary Wayne Rooney.

However, Bellingham noted that team results are more important than personal achievements. He also mentioned England's tradition of "second game fever" in major tournaments. For reference, the English have recorded draws in the second round of four consecutive major competitions. This streak has continued since the match against Scotland during Euro 2020.

Emotions also ran high during the match. During the break, a small clash occurred between Bellingham and Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz. Queiroz was dissatisfied with the player's foul against Jerome Opoku. After the game, the coach stated that the situation was simply professional emotion and that football is "not for those who dance in tuxedos, but for brave people."

England's attacking line also failed to deliver this evening. Team captain Harry Kane barely troubled goalkeeper Benjamin Asare. In particular, Kane's failure to score into an open goal at the end of the game clearly highlighted England's attacking problems. Now, Tuchel's pupils will have to give their all in the final group match to decide their progression to the next stage.