England 19-year-old Jude Bellingham has been widely praised after footage showed him immediately running over to comfort Harry Kane following his World Cup penalty miss.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder, whose mature performances have cemented him as a fan favourite during the competition in Qatar, sprinted over to the England captain after Kane blasted a late opportunity to pull his side level against France in their 2-1 quarter-final defeat.
A clip of the aftermath after Kane’s penalty miss shows Bellingham holding Kane’s head and speaking assuredly into his ear.
Bellingham’s immediate support for Kane was well received by fans, with some describing it as “magnificent” and others as “elite”.
Many suggested Bellingham could be the next England captain after Kane, with @DannyPatterson7 tweeting to say he is “the future of this side”.
Twitter user @TheRug85 added: “A young man with maturity and mentality way beyond his years. A future captain.”
Interviewed after the game, Bellingham defended Kane, telling ITV: “H was really unlucky with the penalty – he has scored tonnes for us in the past.”
