Progression for Real Madrid past Bayern Munich in the Champions League could be the first step to Jude Bellingham winning the Ballon d'Or, according to former England international Owen Hargreaves.
Bellingham has enjoyed a bewildering rise in his career and thrived since completing his £88million move to the Bernabeu. The 20-year-old has already produced his most productive season to help Real Madrid to the La Liga title and bagged 22 goals and 10 assists this term.
A win will see Bellingham face his former side Borussia Dortmund in the final of the Champions League. Los Blancos would undoubtedly go into that tie as favourites.
Hargreaves believes success in the competition would set up Bellingham to be in contention for individual accolades. A year in which the young midfielder was able to lift the Champions League and find glory with England in the summer could see Bellingham become the youngest Ballon d'Or winner since Ronaldo Nazario.
"I don't think I've ever seen him play poorly," TNT Sports pundit Hargreaves told Mirror Football. "Not even medium.
"As elite as Jude's talent is, I think his his mindset and his mentality is almost even better. He has the capacity to compete in the game and he can play obviously multiple positions. I know he's obviously a great player, one of the best in the world.
"To be fair if they win the Champions League and England can win the Euros he can win the Ballon d'Or at 21. I mean he's so far ahead of the curve is that it's honestly out of this world.
"I know how great he is, but I could have never envisioned him being that dominant as a 10 or a false nine, the goalscorer. He's just a bit of a unicorn Jude, you can just throw them in anywhere and he'll just make it work."
Hargreaves believes
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