Toni Kroos has expressed confidence in Jude Bellingham’s ability to handle the expectations of representing England at Euro 2024.
Having shared the pitch with Bellingham at Real Madrid, where they clinched both La Liga and the Champions League, Kroos is well aware of the young Englishman’s talent.
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Bellingham, who joined Madrid from Borussia Dortmund, had an outstanding first season, netting 23 goals across all competitions and quickly becoming an integral part of Carlo Ancelotti’s team.
Kroos, impressed by Bellingham’s performance, believes the 20-year-old will rise to the occasion and excel under the spotlight this summer.
‘I’ve had a year with Jude and had to ask how old he really is. He’s 20 but – and particularly off the field — he feels to be a fair bit more mature than that,’ said Kroos, who is retiring after Euro 2024.
‘It speaks for him that there is so much hope resting on him in England. At Real in the first few weeks he was directly decisive for us. And I didn’t feel he had any problems as his importance to the team grew.
‘It speaks for him that the hopes are placed on him. I think that he’s a guy who can handle this pressure. This personality at just 20 years of age — it’s no problem for him to withstand the pressure.’
Germany get the tournament underway on Friday when they host Scotland in Munich, with England starting their campaign on Sunday against Serbia.
Kroos wishes Bellingham well this summer, although not that well in the competition.
‘I wish him personally a good tournament — but I hope that it’s over for England at some point,’ he said.
