Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Jude Bellingham is at the centre of England’s bid to win the World Cup in 2022. But how does he compare to a former hope, Dele Alli, at 19 years old?
Gareth Southgate has let Bellingham off the leash in Qatar this winter as the Three Lions bid for global glory. It has been 56 years since England won their one and only World Cup title so far in 1966. They are also yet to reach the final of the quadrennial FIFA tournament since.
England made the semi-finals four years ago before bowing out to Croatia and then losing to Belgium in the third-place play-off. Alli enjoyed a central role in Southgate’s 2018 squad in Russia like Bellingham is this year. But the midfielder has since fallen off at drastic levels.
How do England stars Bellingham at 19 years old and Alli compare at World Cups?
Alli also debuted on the World Cup stage later on in his career compared to England’s 2022 superstar, Bellingham. Southgate is trusting the latter with a central role in Qatar at just 19 years old. Whereas the former turned out for the first time at Russia 2018 at 22 years old.
The 2018 World Cup has, so far, proven to be Alli’s only World Cup. He appeared in five of England’s seven ties that year. He also started four matches, only failing to in Group G ties with Panama and Belgium. The Milton Keynes native did not start the third-place play-off.
Southgate saw his decision to start Alli in an attacking midfield line-up beside Jesse Lingard pay off in the quarter-final. Alli helped England secure their progression to the semi-final in a 2-0 win over Sweden. He headed in their second goal from Lingard’s 59th-minute delivery.
The header was the only goal Alli scored in Russia while failing to lay on any assists across 364 minutes. Bellingham has already eclipsed Alli’s total World Cup goal involvement over his appearances in 2022, then. The teenager has scored one and created another in Qatar.
Bellingham has started all four of England’s fixtures at the 2022 World Cup ahead of their quarter-final against France. He also has 325 minutes under his belt and scored the Three Lions’ first goal in Qatar. Bellingham headed in Luke Shaw’s cross in a 6-2 thrashing of Iran.
Bellingham at 19 is already achieving more at World Cups compared to Alli at 22
It took 19-year-old Bellingham 35 minutes to open his account at World Cups compared to 22-year-old Alli needing 220 minutes. The Borussia Dortmund star also helped England go ahead against Senegal in their Round of 16 tie after assisting Jordan Henderson’s attempt.
Outside of his goal involvements, Bellingham at 19 is also central to how England operate compared to Alli at the last World Cup. His driving presence in the engine room is setting the tone for how Southgate wants the Three Lions to tackle their matches at Qatar 2022.
Alli, on the other hand, was only a cog in Southgate’s side four years ago. Despite his extra experience in 2018 compared to Bellingham in 2022, Alli also struggled to show his skill at a sustained rate. The midfielder never managed to find his peak and remain there for long.
It was a similar story for Alli during Euro 2016 when he made his major competition debut for England. Southgate backed him at 20 years old by starting in three of the Three Lions’ four fixtures in France. Yet over his 300 minutes, Alli only managed one assist and no goals.
Bellingham, likewise, featured at a European Championship before making his World Cup debut. Southgate named the Birmingham City product in his Euro 2020 squad at 17 years old. But he only gave the Stourbridge native 55 minutes over three games as a substitute.
How do the midfielders compare at club level at 19 years old?
By the time Alli turned 20 years old on April 11, 2016, the MK Dons product was in his third season of full-time senior football. The midfielder spent the first two of those terms at the Dons before joining Tottenham Hotspur. The north Londoners paid £5m in February 2015.
Bellingham, on the other hand, joined Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham in July 2020 for an initial £25m. He moved to Germany at 17 years old, whereas Alli joined Tottenham at 18. BVB also believed in his potential after making 44 first-team appearances with the Blues.
Alli left MK Dons for Tottenham in the summer of 2015 after 88 appearances, returning 24 goals and 15 assists. He offered 22 of those goals and 12 assists over 74 games in League One after debuting at 16 in December 2012. He also scored in the EFL Trophy and FA Cup.
Likewise, Bellingham enjoyed his Birmingham debut at 16 in 2019 but he was five months younger than Alli in 2012. The deeper-lying midfielder also made his in the Championship, the league in which Bellingham made 41 of his 44 Blues games, four goals and two assists.
Alli burst onto the Premier League scene while Bellingham shone in the Bundesliga
Alli would burst onto the Premier League scene upon his arrival at Tottenham ahead of the 2015/16 season. In his final campaign as a teenager, the attacking midfielder fired 10 goals and created a further nine over 33 appearances. His final two goals came after turning 20.
Former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino also fielded Alli in nine Europa League fixtures that season for two assists. He would also not score or create a goal over three FA Cup ties and one EFL Cup fixture. Borussia Dortmund beat Tottenham 5-1 in the Europa League last 16.
Compared to Bellingham at 19, Alli – in part thanks to his more advanced role – boasted a superior goal presence. The current England star has offered BVB 19 goals and 21 assists over 112 games in all competitions. He is currently enjoying his best term with nine goals.
Bellingham’s 2022/23 haul also includes four goals in five Champions League outings. He had hit home once in each of the last two editions of the UEFA tournament. The 6 ft 1 ace also assisted four goals in 2020/21, 14 in 2021/22 and three in 2022/23 in all competitions.
Bellingham’s 2022 World Cup with England could precede a mega-money move
Bellingham’s 2022 World Cup with England – which has been stronger compared to Alli in 2018 – could also now precede a mega-money move. Sport Bild reporter Christian Falk has claimed Liverpool are favourites ahead of Real Madrid to sign the wonderkid next summer.
The Reds’ negotiations with the Borussia Dortmund star’s camp are further along than Los Blancos’ discussions. Bellingham’s family would also prefer he move to Anfield than to the Galacticos. But Sport cites BVB as wanting as much as €150m (£130m) to sell the prodigy.
Alli, on the other, regressed massively after featuring at the 2018 World Cup and helping England match their best finish of fourth since winning the title in 1966. The 26-year-old has only earned seven of his 37 caps to date since returning from Russia and none since 2019.
Additionally, after scoring five goals in 25 Premier League games in 2018/19 and eight in 25 in 2019/29, Alli only scored a further one goal over 25 appearances before leaving Spurs in January 2022. He also only offered an assist over the 2020/21 and ‘21/22 terms in London.
His regression was so bad that Tottenham allowed Everton to sign Alli without an upfront transfer fee. The midfielder’s move to Merseyside instead included a £10m clause after his 20th appearance. Add-ons in the deal can also take the figure up to £40m, per Sky Sports.
Yet Alli has only played 13 times for the Toffees and is yet to score or create a goal to date. He is also now on loan to Besiktas, who have a £6m option to buy him by January 1, 2023, per The Guardian. The option will increase to £8m until June 2023 or he will re-join Everton.
Toure is fearful Bellingham could follow Alli’s regression in the years to come
Bellingham making such a bright start to his England career and achieving more at a World Cup at 19 compared to Alli ever could has left Yaya Toure fearful history may repeat itself.
The Ivory Coast and Manchester City icon has noted in a column for The Athletic: “I hope the media are careful with him because we saw a similar situation a few years ago with Dele Alli, who struggled at times with being presented as a leader for club and country.
“It’s important for everyone to be protective of Bellingham for his development because it’s clear he has a bright, bright future with England.
“His mentality — his focus, his determination to win — at 19 is not normal. In my career, I mostly saw it in South American players, with [Argentina icon] Javier Mascherano being a good example… More young English players need what Bellingham has.”
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