Ian Wright has passionately defended Jude Bellingham, claiming England are “not ready for a black superstar”. In an emotional and powerful speech, Wright argued that Bellingham has faced harsh criticism from some in the media because he is an “outspoken black man.” Bellingham, 22, made headlines this week after being recalled for the game against England in November and accused of being furious at being substituted during England’s 2-0 win over Albania. Manager Thomas Tuchel refrained from criticizing the England star but stressed that “action is important” and he would discuss it privately with him.
The incident, which resulted in a backlash against Bellingham, followed reports that his personality was causing friction in England’s dressing room after he was left out of the squad during the October international break. Following another commendable performance for Real Madrid this season, Bellingham has recently established himself as one of the world’s top players and has found himself back in the spotlight in recent days, often finding himself under scrutiny.
But former England striker Wright, 62, defended Bellingham and suggested the criticism was deeply rooted in racism. In a conversation with Gary Neville, an emotional Wright told the Overlap:
“Even when I was younger, people were saying, ‘You’re not really British,’ but yeah, I’m British. I don’t think they’re ready to be a black superstar. Who can move like Jude (Bellingham) is moving? They can’t touch him. He goes out there, he performs, he does what he does, and he says, ‘Who else is there?’
“These guys are so lucky. Let’s put it in football terms. They all love N’Golo Kante. He’s a humble black man who takes a positive approach to what he does. I’m not saying he’s Uncle Tom or anything. That’s just his character.”
“But even if you get (Paul) Pogba or Bellingham and you get that kind of energy, it’s not going to sit well with people. Guys like that. So somebody like Jude, for some reason, it scares these people because of his ability and the inspiration he can give.”
“When you go out as a black man, you’re taught to do the best you can, keep your head down, and be, for lack of a better word, a humble fucking slave.
“This is pulling from that kind of energy, because if you’re outspoken and you’re black and you play at that level and you don’t care, that scares certain people.
“That’s what’s happening with Jude. This guy is obsessed with Jude. He’s trying to get away from that kind of energy. He sees a black man doing the same thing Jude does and he can’t think that’s not virtuous. That he’s not a virtuous bastard. I’m going with it. That’s what it comes down to.”
During the debate, former England manager Neville recalled a conversation he had with Raheem Sterling in 2016, revealing that he believed the Chelsea player was unfairly singled out by journalists during the European Championship because of his race. “He felt as if he was being persecuted and it was unfair and it basically had nothing to do with football,” Neville explained.
Wright, who had criticized the press just days earlier over rumors of a rift with Bellingham, continued: “I sent a message to Jude (before the recent England game) saying, ‘Listen, I’m ready’. I could feel something coming.”
“I said, ‘Get ready.’ Of course, it’s private, but he said, ‘Ready for what?’ I said, ‘Listen, it’s coming, and I’m here. I’m here, and I’m going to make sure I’m on this side.’
“Because what happens is, it comes, and it keeps coming. It’s like a tsunami. If you don’t play well and do something, it just changes a little bit, because as soon as you play again and you don’t play well, it comes back. He was saying, ‘Whatever happens,’ and I just told him, ‘Get ready for it,’ and then it came.”
Bellingham has shrugged off recent criticism and made a triumphant return under Tuchel, playing in the 2-0 wins over Serbia and Albania, but he is a controversial figure within the England squad due to his unconventional personality.
Last summer, he was publicly criticized by the England manager for his “disgusting” behavior, which Tuchel later retracted.
Despite this, the 22-year-old remains an integral part of the national team, earning 46 caps and scoring six goals for England since his debut in 2020. He won for the Three Lions at last summer’s European Championship in Germany, scoring a vital goal in the last 16 against Slovakia and playing a key role in helping Gareth Southgate’s side reach the final in Berlin.
