- Jude Bellingham was sent off for using foul and abusive language on Saturday
- He was accused of saying ‘f*** you’, but claims that he actually said ‘f*** off’
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Former England international Stan Collymore believes that Jude Bellingham‘s recent red card for Real Madrid proves why he should not be Three Lions captain.
Bellingham was dismissed by referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero 39 minutes into Madrid’s 1-1 draw at Osasuna on Saturday for foul and abusive language. But the midfielder was adamant that he had not been abusive towards the referee, who accused him of telling him: ‘F*** you’.
Bellingham’s account was that he had said: ‘f*** off’, but that these words were aimed at himself in frustration, rather than at the match official.
Collymore, who made three appearances for England, believes this controversy highlights why the 21-year-old is not ready to inherit the armband. And despite his ‘world-class’ talent, there is another in the Three Lions dressing room fit to be skipper.
‘A lot of fans talk about Jude Bellingham, saying that he’s overrated and it’s all just hype,’ he told William Hill Vegas. ‘But let’s be clear, Jude is an exceptional, athletic midfielder who, at his best, can pick the ball up midway through the opponent’s half, drive past players, create chances, and score goals. He is a top-quality player, absolutely. There are no question about his ability. He’s world-class, but he’s not a captain.
‘Someone like Declan Rice would be a better England captain. He leads by example, is vocal without going over the top — unlike Bellingham, as we saw with his red card at the weekend.
Jude Bellingham was handed a straight red card for foul or abusive language on Saturday
Stan Collymore, who made three appearances for England, believes the incident proves Bellingham isn’t a captain
Collymore tipped Declan Rice for the armband. The Arsenal star has wore the armband for the one and only time last March against Belgium
‘Rice gets the players around him going, and he’s growing into the role. He sees everything on the pitch, picks the ball up from the back four, and gets forward. He probably needs to add more goals to his game, and by his own admission, I think he knows that.
‘Giving Rice the captaincy would free Bellingham up to just enjoy his football and play with that feisty, natural energy. If you put the responsibility of captaincy on him — especially for England — it could restrict him. Real Madrid is arguably the biggest club in the world, and the spotlight is on him every week. But with England, the scrutiny is different. If England reach a quarter-final or semi-final, the entire country micro-analyses everything.’
Real Madrid are believed to have met with LaLiga’s refereeing council (CTA) and accused officials of ‘bias’ in the midst of Bellingham’s red card row. The Los Blancos superstar could yet face a ban of up to 12 matches for the incident, which has seen Bellingham passionately defended by his head coach Carlo Ancelotti – and dubbed ‘disrespectful’ by the manager of Real Madrid’s loathed rivals Barcelona, Hansi Flick.
Real Madrid are thought to be so incensed by the decision against their player that reports on Monday suggested that the LaLiga giants are mulling a move away from the Spanish top flight.
But officials from both parties met that day, as per Marca, to discuss the involvement of another of their players – France captain Kylian Mbappe – in a tussle with Espanyol’s Carlos Romero when the two teams met at the start of the month.
Bellingham is yet to captain England in his 40 appearances, while Rice wore the armband in the Three Lions’ 2-2 draw with Belgium last March.
Collymore added:: ‘Look at Wayne Rooney — when he said the wrong thing in an England shirt, it was front and back-page news. The same with Paul Gascoigne. I don’t want Bellingham to be that guy. I want him to focus on his football and thrive. For me, it’s simple — I would never give Bellingham the England captaincy.’
