Top Trumps has declared Jude Bellingham the greatest player in the world, so forget about the Ballon d’Or.
The Real Madrid and England player dethroned players including teammate Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappe, Erik Haaland, and Lionel Messi to claim the top spot in a new ranking system.
It follows Bellingham’s contribution to his team’s triumph in the Champions League final on Saturday.
Bellingham is a candidate for the Ballon d’Or and is anticipated to be an important member of England’s squad in the European Championship this summer.
However, as of right now, the well-known card game Top Trumps has selected the 20-year-old for their World Football Stars Top 200 series.
Jude Bellingham has been named as the best player in world football by card game Top Trumps
Bellingham is ahead of the likes of Lionel Messi (left) and Kylian Mbappe (right)
Bellingham, valued at £128 million, is placed first, while Messi is valued at £30 million.
He has emerged victorious because of his projected £128 million market value, talent at the moment, and enormous potential for growth in the years to come.
“Jude Bellingham ranks number one primarily due to his impressive market worth, his exceptional talent, and his exceptional potential,” a game spokesman stated.
Even though he is still only 20 years old and only starting out in his career, his outstanding on-field performances and leadership abilities have already elevated him above most other players.
“He is an inspiration due to his ability to dominate the midfield and his consistency in elite competitions, which has propelled him to the top of our rankings.”
In an Instagram video, Top Trumps declared Bellingham to be their number one player.
Additionally, they have teamed up with Gary Lineker’s podcast, The Rest is Football Podcast, who disclosed on Instagram in their own video that Messi is ranked No. 5 despite only having a £30 million valuation.
“We all know how Top Trumps works,” Lineker joked. Given his height and age, he ranks fifth most likely because he isn’t particularly large.
“I believe he will need to put in a lot of work to earn 180 caps for his nation.” However, he has one trait with Alan Shearer: he has never taken home the FA Cup.
Bellingham helped Real Madrid to Champions League glory in a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund
The top 10 has yet to be announced, though the likes of Erling Haaland are expected to feature
The top 10 in full has yet to be revealed, as not all its packs have been released yet, though the likes of Mbappe, Haaland, Vinicius and Harry Kane are likely to feature.
Top Trumps judges players from both the men’s and women’s game together, with the top female player in the 200 being Poland’s Ewa Pajor – who ranks overall at 32nd.
England trio Keira Walsh, Leah Williamson and Millie Bright also feature in the list.
Despite his Ballon d’Or credentials, Bellingham believes his team-mate Vinicius is the best player in the world.
He said: ‘I always felt that the Ballon d’Or and those kind of things were like for strikers and wingers, the flashy players.
‘I know I can entertain a crowd but no one can do it like Vini. I’ve said before that when he is at his best, he’s the best player in the world. I know he likes to say the same about me and that’s the kind of relationship we have.
‘You don’t always have to be friends with your team-mates but it helps when you can be so close off the pitch as well, and then on the pitch it reflects. We have a good understanding of each other’s movement and if he was to win it I’d feel just as proud as if I’d won it because I know that I’ve helped contribute to his success.’