FABIO CAPELLO has watched, managed and screamed at some of the best footballers in the world over the past 30 years. Franco Baresi, Marco van Basten, David Beckham, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Paolo Maldini, Ronaldo and Clarence Seedorf are just some of the legends who have come under his expert guidance. The Italian, 77, may have his detractors, particularly for his time in charge of England, but he knows a good player when he sees one.
And he has been left mighty impressed by Jude Bellingham’s inaugural season with Real Madrid. The former Three Lions boss gushed: “He is really from a different world! “Because he has quality but also competitive strength. And this is a plus that he brings to the team.
” Capello, known as a strict disciplinarian, had two successful spells at the Bernabeu – he won the La Liga title in 1997 and 2007 – and fully understands the pressure, expectation and chaos that surrounds that club. Bellingham wore a hefty price tag when he came over to Spain from Borussia Dortmund last year for £88.5million.
Yet the 20-year-old wooed the home crowd by scoring 19 goals in 28 league appearances as Madrid clinched the Championship – excellent numbers for a midfielder. Three of those goals came in three clashes with rivals Barcelona, including a stoppage-time winner in a 3-2 victory last month in the Spanish capital. Capello, who also managed AC Milan, Roma and Juventus, said: “Bellingham has surprised me.
“Because normally the English have difficulty.