Former England captain, John Terry, has likened Jude Bellingham to France great Zinedine Zidane, describing the midfielder as the player driving England’s campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking on the FIFA Podcast ahead of England’s semi-final against Argentina on Wednesday, Terry praised Bellingham’s influence on the team and his composure on and off the pitch.
“I said at the start of this World Cup, Jude Bellingham reminds me of Zidane.
“He’s dragging this team through at the moment. I think he’s world-class. Also, you listen to him off the pitch, he’s got a real calmness about him as well,” Terry said.
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Bellingham has been one of England’s standout performers at the tournament, scoring six goals to help Thomas Tuchel’s side reach the last four.
Former Brazil midfielder, Gilberto Silva, agreed with Terry’s assessment, saying Bellingham has consistently delivered in important matches.
“In these big matches, that’s when you need your big players to step up, and he has shown that over the past two years, before with Real Madrid and now in the World Cup,” Silva said.
“I think there’s a lot more to come from him. He’s in a way similar to Zidane, and the comparison JT made with Zidane makes sense.”
Terry also expressed confidence ahead of England’s clash with defending champions Argentina, insisting the Three Lions have the quality to reach the final.
“I’m not worried about Argentina, if I’m honest. I don’t look at Argentina and sit here being worried about them being better than us.
“I think, man-for-man, we’re better than Argentina. You know what I like about this England side at the minute? We’ve had big moments,” he said.
