What Wayne Rooney once told Gary Neville about playing against Jude Bellingham | OneFootball

Jude Bellingham played against Wayne Rooney in his final game for Birmingham City

Wayne Rooney once told Gary Neville that former Birmingham City star Jude Bellingham was going to make it far in the game after facing him for Derby County.

The former forward spent the final couple of years of his career with the Rams, making a total of 30 league appearances before hanging up his boots to focus on being the club’s manager.

The now 40-year-old played against the Blues on 22 July 2020 during the resumption of the Championship campaign after the pandemic paused play for multiple months.

Rooney played 64 minutes for Derby in a 3-1 win, while Bellingham was making his final ever appearance for the Midlands outfit.

The midfielder went on to sign for Borussia Dortmund and then Real Madrid, where he has become one of the biggest names in world football.

Wayne Rooney tipped Jude Bellingham to go far in football

Rooney later revealed in a discussion with Neville how he felt after the game, claiming he knew Bellingham was set for the top when he man-marked him during the 3-1 win.

He praised the Real Madrid star’s mentality, although even he is now surprised by just how far he’s been able to make it in the game, having become a Champions League winner during his time in Spain, as well as a key part of the England men’s team.

"I played against Jude when he was 16,” said Rooney, via The Overlap on X.

“I was at Derby, he was at Birmingham and he actually man-marked me.

"I was playing deep in midfield, I was controlling games and he came to man-mark me so I kept dragging him out wide and he didn’t like it.

"What I loved about him, I’d go in for a tackle and he’d leave one on me.

“A bit like I would have done.

"I remember after the game saying ‘he’s gonna go far’ and obviously I’d never expected what he’s done now and I think what you see with Jude, you see a player who wants it and has a mentality, he wants to play every minute of every game."

Bellingham came through the Birmingham academy system, earning his debut on 8 August 2019 at the age of just 16.

The midfielder made 41 appearances in the Championship for the Blues, contributing four goals and two assists as the team earned a 20th place finish.

The now 22-year-old’s first goal for the club came in just his third appearance, scoring in a 2-1 victory against Stoke City to become their youngest ever scorer.

He followed that up with another goal in his next appearance, scoring in a 1-0 victory against Charlton Athletic, before also adding goals against Leeds United and Cardiff City later in the campaign.

Jude Bellingham’s career at the top of the game

Bellingham made the switch to Borussia Dortmund in the 2020 summer transfer window after protracted speculation over his future.

It was reported that the Bundesliga club agreed to pay £22.75 million to sign Bellingham amid interest from Manchester United.

He spent three seasons in Germany, making 92 appearances in the top flight before making the move to Real Madrid.

Bellingham was unable to earn a Bundesliga title with Dortmund, missing out in his final season with the club despite the team finishing level on points with winners Bayern Munich.

The England international signed for Real Madrid in a deal worth an initial £88.5 million, potentially rising to £115 million with add-ons.

Bellingham was part of the Real Madrid team that won La Liga during the 2023/24 campaign, where he contributed 19 goals and six assists.

The Spanish giants also won the Champions League in that same campaign, beating his former side Dortmund in the final at Wembley Stadium, bringing the England international to the pinnacle of the club game.