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England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has revealed that he would love to swap his licence to thrill on the pitch for a licence to kill on the big screen, expressing his desire to play the iconic role of James Bond one day.

The midfielder, who scored the opening goal in England’s hard-fought win over Panama in New York on Saturday, remains focused on helping his national team progress as far as possible in the World Cup. Under manager Thomas Tuchel, England are hoping to end 60 years of heartbreak by lifting the trophy this summer, and Bellingham is expected to play a vital role in that quest.

However, the 23-year-old’s recent comments have shown that he already has his eyes on life beyond football. Speaking on Fox’s World Cup After Hours, Bellingham admitted that acting has always appealed to him, and his ultimate dream role would be to portray the legendary British spy, James Bond.

“I’d love to be in a movie,” Bellingham told James Corden. “People always ask me what I’d want to do outside football, and I don’t usually think about it much. But whenever I do, I always end up saying I’d love to be in a film.”

He added, “I’d love to be James Bond. I’ve watched all of them — the Sean Connery ones, Roger Moore, all of them. I love James Bond. Honestly, I’d love to even be in the background of a Bond film. Maybe one day James Bond himself, but you’ve got to crawl before you can walk. They haven’t found a new Bond yet, have they?”

Bellingham even playfully delivered the famous line, “The name’s Bond, James Bond,” and joked, “I think I’ve got a shot!”

Since Daniel Craig stepped down from the role following 2021’s No Time to Die, no actor has yet been announced as his successor, leaving the position of the world’s most famous secret agent wide open — something that clearly hasn’t escaped Bellingham’s imagination.

For now, though, his attention is firmly on England’s World Cup campaign. The Three Lions are set to face DR Congo in the Round of 32 in Atlanta on Wednesday. Should they progress, a potential Round of 16 clash in Mexico City against co-hosts Mexico awaits.

If Bellingham helps England go all the way and win the World Cup on July 19, the young midfielder could find himself flooded with opportunities off the field — and who knows, James Bond might just be one of them.