Jude Bellingham: Liverpool Hero Shoots Down Ballon d’Or Calls, Insists Englishman Is Not World Class

• An ex-Liverpool star turned pundit has downplayed Jude Bellingham's chances of winning the 2024 Ballon d'Or
• The Englishman is considered a frontrunner for the coveted award alongside Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe
• But naysayers have cited his sub-par displays at the 2024 Euros as a key reason why he does not merit the prize

Jude Bellingham's bid for the 2024 Ballon d'Or is facing scepticism following his topsy-turvy form at the ongoing 2024 European Championship.

One of his main critics, former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann, has argued the Real Madrid star does not deserve to be among the potential winners of this prestigious honour.

Liverpool hero downplays Bellingham's Ballon d'Or hopes

Hamann, who switched to football punditry after retirement, offered a harsh critique of Bellingham, claiming that the Englishman has been average since the tail-end of last year.

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"Bellingham was hyped after his first six months in Madrid. But he has only performed averagely for Real since Christmas," he said, as quoted by Sportskeeda.

Explaining his brutal assessment, the German referenced the latter's lacklustre showings in the Champions League's later stages and expressed no surprise at his current displays at the Euros.

"In the Champions League, he was barely seen in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final. That’s why I’m not surprised by his performances at the European Championships."

Although acknowledging the ex-Dortmund captain's talent, Hamann believes the 21-year-old still needs to prove himself consistently and does not see him as a Ballon d'Or contender.

"Bellingham is undoubtedly a good player, but he needs to confirm his performances from last year. Many are talking about the Ballon d’Or, but I don’t see him as a world footballer at the moment," he concluded.

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He also suggested that the Real Madrid star should be benched ahead of England's Euro 2024 quarter-final match-up against Switzerland.

Bellingham's form at Euro 2024

After an impressive debut season with Real Madrid, Bellingham was expected to play a crucial role in England's quest for their first European Championship title.

However, his performances at the Euros have fallen short of his near-perfect form for Los Blancos, leading some fans and pundits to call for him to be benched.

Despite being England's top scorer at the tournament with two goals, including a dramatic 95th-minute acrobatic strike that saved the Three Lions from defeat and elimination, the Stourbridge-born star has been labelled a weak link.

Neymar picks Vinicius as Ballon d'Or favourite

Sports Brief has also reported that Neymar has backed Vinicius Junior as his top pick for this year's Ballon d'Or.

The Al-Hilal star also foresaw a tie for second place between Vinicius' teammates, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham.

He also considers Kylian Mbappe as another strong contender for the award, which will be awarded later this year.