Jude Bellingham becomes youngest European to play in four major tournaments
Texas, June 18
England's Jude Bellingham has become the youngest European player to feature in four different major men's tournaments, achieving the milestone at just 22 years and 353 days during England's World Cup 2026 opener against Croatia.
Bellingham reached the record after being named in Thomas Tuchel's starting XI ahead of Morgan Rogers, further cementing his status as one of the most experienced young players on the global stage, according to the Opta Analyst website.
In the process, he became the first player to complete the feat before turning 23, setting a new benchmark in European football history.
The previous record had been broken just four days earlier by Germany's Jamal Musiala, who reached his fourth major tournament appearance at 23 years and 108 days during Germany's 7-1 win over Curacao.
Spain's Pedri (23 years, 202 days) and Belgium's Jeremy Doku (24 years, 19 days) also marked their fourth major tournament appearances at the 2026 World Cup against Cape Verde and Egypt, respectively.
Despite being only 22, Bellingham already ranks among the most experienced young players in major tournament history, with his appearance against Croatia taking him to 16 appearances for England at major tournaments.
This places him ahead of several prominent names, including Frank Lampard, Tony Adams and Bryan Robson, and gives him the most appearances by any European player before turning 23.
He now leads teammate Bukayo Saka and is ahead of Josko Gvardiol (14), Pedri (14), Cristiano Ronaldo (12) and Michael Owen (12) in the list.
Meanwhile, England opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with an entertaining 4-2 win over Croatia in their Group L clash at the Dallas Stadium on Wednesday (local time).
Harry Kane scored twice, Jude Bellingham produced a standout second-half strike, while substitute Marcus Rashford added a late goal to complete the victory as Thomas Tuchel's side overcame a determined Croatian challenge.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Impressive, but let's not ignore that England's group stage opponents are not exactly world beaters. Croatia gave them a fight, but the real test will come against stronger sides. Still, you have to respect Bellingham's consistency at such a young age. 👏
Watching him play is like watching a seasoned veteran, not a 22-year-old. The way he controls the midfield and scores crucial goals is top-class. England have a gem, and it's great to see European football producing such talent. 🏴
As someone who follows both cricket and football, it's amazing to compare. In cricket, someone like Sachin started young, but Bellingham is doing this in a physically demanding sport across multiple tournaments. Mad respect. Hope he stays injury-free! 💪
I still think the record is impressive but a bit overhyped. Many players debut young these days due to tournament expansion. But you can't deny Bellingham's quality - that goal against Croatia was pure class. Let's see if he can lead England to a trophy. 🤔
The comparison with Cristiano Ronaldo at the same age is interesting. Bellingham already has more major tournament appearances than Ronaldo did before 23. If he stays fit, he could break so many records. Exciting times for football lovers! ⚽
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