Jude Bellingham becomes England's youngest to 50 caps at 2026 World Cup

Jude Bellingham has become the youngest player to reach 50 caps for England, hitting the milestone at the 2026 World Cup. The Real Madrid midfielder did so at 22 years and 359 days, surpassing Wayne Rooney’s previous mark of 23 years and 159 days, as he lined up against Ghana in Boston.

His run of form has been evident throughout the tournament cycle. Bellingham scored in a 4-2 win over Croatia — his seventh goal for England — and made his senior debut in 2020. He is already a veteran of four international tournaments and has produced decisive moments, including a fine solo goal against Croatia and the memorable “Who else?” celebration after an overhead kick against Slovakia at Euro 2024.

At club level he has also impressed, with 46 goals in 140 games for Real Madrid. Jordan Henderson has described him as having an “X-factor” and being “a big-game player,” a reputation that has grown as he has stepped up in important matches. As he continues to command the midfield, comparisons to long-term appearance records have followed.

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