Jude Bellingham, the England midfielder who has delivered a series of cinematic performances at the World Cup, has now revealed an unexpected ambition: to become the next James Bond.
The 23-year-old, whose goal in England’s 4-2 opening victory against Croatia was followed by man-of-the-match honours in subsequent group-stage contests against Ghana and Panama, is currently focused on the team’s upcoming round-of-32 clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
However, the Real Madrid star, a self-confessed cinephile, has expressed a desire to emulate not only Bobby Moore’s 1966 triumph but also the dapper legacy of another Moore – Roger.
Speaking to James Corden on Fox’s World Cup After Hours show, Bellingham shared his acting aspirations. "I’d love to be in a movie," he stated. "People always ask me, ‘What’s the thing I’d want to do out of football?’ – and I never really give it that much thought, but when I have I always come to ‘I’d love to be in a film’."
He continued, revealing his specific target: "I’d love to be James Bond. I’ve watched all of them. I’ve watched the (Sean) Connery ones, Roger Moore, I’ve seen all of them. I love James Bond. I swear, I’d love to be in the back of a James Bond film. (Maybe) James Bond himself, but you’ve got to crawl before you can walk. They haven’t (found a new Bond) yet, have they?"
Corden promptly put Bellingham’s acting skills to the test, prompting him to deliver the iconic line, "The name’s Bond, James Bond," to which the footballer quipped, "I think I’ve got a shot!" The pair also recreated Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise’s famous "You can’t handle the truth!" exchange from A Few Good Men.
With his suave demeanour and the fortuitous initials ‘JB’, Bellingham has certainly captured public attention, frequently appearing in online discussions about the World Cup’s most charismatic players. He might even possess an advantage over some rumoured contenders to succeed Daniel Craig, such as Oscar nominee Jacob Elordi and Chelsea supporter Callum Turner.
However, Debbie McWilliams, who cast the last three Bond actors, offered a cautionary note in an interview with The Independent.
She expressed a preference for "somebody who is completely out of the blue" for the role. The intense spotlight currently on Bellingham could potentially complicate his double-agent dreams.
McWilliams elaborated: "It is absolutely essential that he retains a total enigma. We want to know as little about them personally as possible, because that’s what spies are."
