'Don't kill him' - Wayne Rooney offers advice to Real Madrid star & 'future England captain' Jude Bellingham

Wayne Rooney suggested Jude Bellingham could be the «future England captain» and urged he needs to be protected once his form dips.

WHAT HAPPENED? The 20-year-old attacking midfielder has been in stellar form and his recent performance in the 3-1 win against Italy in the Euro 2024 qualifier further established him as one of the most influential players in the world on current form.

Incidentally, Rooney happens to be at the helm of Birmingham, where Bellingham spent his formative years. The former striker hailed the Madrid star as a «leader» on the pitch and insisted that Bellingham should not be thrown under the bus when he goes through a lean patch as he has the potential to become the «England skipper» in future.

WHAT THEY SAID: «We have to really support him because in my eyes he is a future captain of England,» he told reporters.

«He has really impressed with how he handles himself, how he speaks, how he is on the pitch. He plays as a leader already at 20. He is someone we need to protect and look after for the future of England.

»It's difficult for a young player when you have a dip in form or issues off the pitch, it's difficult to blank that noise out. He's at Real Madrid. One bad game, they can be on you. There's a lot of pressure playing for England as well so it's important he is close to the people around him and simplifies things. He's in the form of his life. If he does dip, let's all get behind him," he added.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Rooney's first game in charge as Birmingham boss is against Middlesbrough. The Boroughs are being led by his former teammate Michael Carrick. However, Rooney hopes that the rivalry will not spill over after the final whistle as the duo continue to share a close bond off the pitch.

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