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Former England skipper John Terry has lavished praise on Jude Bellingham for his outstanding World Cup performances, drawing comparisons between the Real Madrid midfielder and French legend Zinedine Zidane. Yet, the Chelsea icon cautioned that England’s progress could hinge on how well Thomas Tuchel’s men manage Norway’s Premier League stars in their upcoming quarter-final encounter.

Terry drew parallels between Bellingham and Zidane after witnessing the young midfielder’s brilliance on the world stage. The ex-Chelsea defender said he has seen enough from Bellingham to place him among football’s elite. Following England’s thrilling 3-2 win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, where Bellingham struck twice, Terry admitted that the 23-year-old’s poise and creativity reminded him of Zidane’s elegance on the ball.

Appearing on the programme Piers Morgan Uncensored, Terry was full of admiration, saying, “You saw Jude last night, I compared him to Zinedine Zidane and maybe that was a bit bold, but watching him play, he’s unbelievable. His two goals capped off a superb performance, and that assist from Harry Kane for his second was just sensational.”

Turning his attention to England’s leadership structure, Terry stressed that the team’s success stems from its strong core of leaders. He pointed out that while Bellingham is grabbing headlines, it is the collective leadership that gives England a genuine shot at the title. The former defender identified key figures who have taken responsibility in driving the Three Lions forward.

“They cannot afford injuries and must lead from the front,” Terry explained. “Without those players setting the tone and standards, it’s tough to succeed. There are real leaders in this group — Harry Kane, who’s shown it throughout his career, Jude Bellingham doing it already at such a young age, Declan Rice, and I’d also include Reece James.”

Looking ahead to the quarter-final, Terry singled out Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard as Norway’s main orchestrator. He described the playmaker as the creative engine behind everything positive in the Norwegian setup. Odegaard’s influence was evident in Norway’s surprise victory over Brazil earlier in the competition.

Terry warned Tuchel’s side, saying, “Norway are a strong, well-organised team. Everything good they do goes through Martin Odegaard. If England can stop him and Erling Haaland, then we have a massive chance.”

However, Odegaard is not the only threat. Erling Haaland’s red-hot form — seven goals in four matches — has placed him level with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe at the top of the Golden Boot race. Terry, renowned for his defensive expertise, offered guidance to England centre-backs Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa on how to contain the Manchester City striker, referencing Gabriel Magalhaes’ earlier mistakes as cautionary lessons.

Explaining the tactical challenge, Terry added, “It’s tough because Haaland can run in behind defenders with incredible pace and strength. You always have to stay switched on. Apart from him, they have one or two others in the box, but none as dangerous. The key is whoever’s marking Haaland must stay tight, stay focused, and be selfish — make sure he’s taken out of the game. Because at any moment, like Harry Kane and other elite strikers, Haaland can change a match — and he probably does it better than anyone right now.”