Bellingham Joins Pelé in Exclusive World Cup Ranking

English sensation Jude Bellingham continues to etch his name into the history books at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, positioning himself alongside the sport's greatest icons. At precisely 23 years and 12 days old, the Three Lions midfielder became the second-youngest player in World Cup history to score two or more goals in consecutive knockout stage matches. The only player younger to achieve this feat in the annals of the game remains the legendary Pelé, who did so at the 1958 World Cup when he was just 17 years and 249 days old.

However, this is far from the only historic achievement for the English superstar following his electrifying performance against Norway. With his latest strikes, Bellingham now boasts a total of 7 World Cup goals scored before turning 24. This tally places him level with Pelé in second position in this prestigious ranking for young talents, with only French forward Kylian Mbappé leading the pack with his 12 goals.

All of this underscores the incredible tournament the midfielder is having on American soil. With his 5 goals scored – all from open play and without a single penalty – Bellingham is officially the most prolific midfielder at the current FIFA World Cup. His achievement propels him to the top on a more global scale, making him the highest-scoring pure midfielder in a single World Cup throughout the entire 21st century. With this goal tally, he matches the achievements of legendary attacking players like Thomas Müller and Wesley Sneijder from the 2010 World Cup, who also scored 5 goals each. Historically for England itself, only Gary Lineker in 1986 has scored more goals from open play (6) in a single major international tournament.