"Bellingham can definitely win the Ballon d'Or"

England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo told a press conference on Wednesday that team-mate Jude Bellingham, one of the key players in his side's 1-0 win over Serbia in their European Championship opener, "can win the Ballon d'Or".
Mainoo, as his team-mates and Southgate have done since Bellingham burst onto the scene, praised the Real Madrid player and acknowledged that he can win one of the most important individual trophies possible: "Yes, definitely, he can win the Ballon d'Or. Everyone knows what a fantastic player he is. We see him every day in training. He's just as nice a guy as he is demanding. He has high standards. Playing with him is great. He's a Ballon d'Or candidate," he said.
The 19-year-old Manchester United player made his England debut in March in a friendly match against Brazil. Born to Ghanaian parents, he closed the door definitively on the African national team that day and also spoke about his decision to make the switch to the British side: "I'm proud of my Ghanaian heritage, but it's always been a dream to play for England. I'm happy to be here. I thought about it, but I want to play for England," he said.
Mainoo wanted to thank his United coach Erik ten Hag for the opportunities he has received. For the young British player, he was key in his professional development because he trusted him a lot to play for his club. "I'm happy to build things with him. I won two trophies and I hope there are more to come. I'm at peace knowing he'll be the coach when we come back."