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Jude Bellingham is “not Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo” and cannot “win matches on his own”, John Barnes has told GOAL, with the England and Real Madrid star viewed as more of a Bryan Robson-style No.8 than a creative No.10. The dynamic midfielder has often been used in a more advanced role, but his qualities are at their best when he operates from a deeper position.

Bellingham has played in both of those roles during his career so far. He first made his name as an exceptionally gifted teenager while occupying a midfield role for Birmingham City. At that stage, inevitable comparisons were drawn with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

It did not take long after his move to Borussia Dortmund for him to earn recognition at senior international level. The 23-year-old has grown into a talismanic figure for England, with his famous ‘who else’ celebration at Euro 2024 followed by seven goals at the 2026 World Cup.

England look to Bellingham, alongside record-breaking captain Harry Kane, for inspiration. He has regularly delivered, with Thomas Tuchel finding a playmaking role in his plans for a player who features just behind Kylian Mbappe at club level.

There is still the prospect of even more to come, but former England star Barnes - speaking in association with 247Bet - told GOAL when asked whether the best version of Bellingham has reappeared after recent injury problems: “The best version of Jude is not going to win us the World Cup. The best version of England is going to win us the World Cup.

“Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane by themselves aren't going to win us the World Cup. They showed what they can do, which is they can win some games by themselves in terms of the way the team is set up for them to be the scorers.

“But if you want to win at the highest level, right at the top, Jude Bellingham by himself isn't going to do that. He's not a Messi or Ronaldo, and even Messi or Ronaldo didn't do that.

“He will be part of that but we need to have a better environment to then have a much better team, rather than Jude shining in an average team. We have good enough players for us to do better than we did from a team perspective.”

When pressed further on Bellingham’s best position, with it important that both Real and England get the maximum from him, Liverpool great Barnes added: “Jude is not a number 10, he's an eight. He's not a 10, he's not a Messi, he's not a Wirtz.

“That's not what he is, and maybe he thinks it is, but he is not that. He's a Bryan Robson, he can get up and down, because he can get back and defend as well. He's not a creative player in that sense, like a Florian Wirtz, with the eye of a needle pass and those intricate plays in tight areas. He's a number eight, which can be of great value, like [Dominik] Szoboszlai, for example.

“I think that the manager has to then come up with a way of utilising Jude, maybe not Harry Kane at his age, to find the way that the team plays to suit all of the players, and Jude will be an important part of that.”

Bellingham has, after helping England reach another major tournament semi-final and secure a third-place finish at the World Cup finals in North America, returned to Real as they begin a new era under Jose Mourinho.

Working with the ‘Special One’ could help unlock even more of his potential, putting him back in Ballon d’Or contention, while the Three Lions will return to action in late September and early October when they begin their latest UEFA Nations League campaign against Spain, Czechia and Croatia.