Ian Wright Defends Jude Bellingham Against Media Criticism

omidbasir- Ian Wright, the Arsenal and England football legend, has once again defended Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder, against the criticism he is facing in his home country. Wright stated, “England is not prepared for a black superstar,” expressing his concern for Bellingham, who he believes is someone the media cannot control.

“I worry for Jude because he is showing everyone: here I am, I’m black, I’m proud, and I’m ready. I don’t think England is ready for a black superstar,” Wright remarked during an episode of ‘The Overlap’ on YouTube, featuring Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville among others.

He emphasized, “They can’t touch him. He goes out there, performs, and does what he does. It’s too bold for them. For some reason, someone like Jude intimidates them with his talent and the inspiration he provides.”

Wright further elaborated using a footballing analogy, stating, “Everyone loves N’Golo Kanté. He’s a humble black man who does his job and simply has that personality. But when you have a player like (Paul) Pogba or Bellingham, with a certain kind of energy, it doesn’t sit well with some people.”

The former striker had recently defended Bellingham after he faced criticism from certain journalists regarding his reaction to Harry Kane’s second goal against Albania, which was later contradicted by video evidence. Bellingham was accused of complaining when substituted for Morgan Rogers, a claim that went unrecorded by any camera.

In a social media post on the BBC’s platform, Ian Wright reiterated his support for Bellingham, who was named Man of the Match in the victory against Albania.

“They have to create this narrative because there’s nothing else to discuss until the World Cup, so this is how it will be for the coming months. The media hates that they cannot reach him. They dislike that they cannot negatively influence his career at his club as they have with so many others. He’s a great young man with immense talent and plenty of love,” Wright asserted.

During the discussion, Gary Neville recalled a conversation he had with Raheem Sterling in 2016, highlighting how the former Chelsea player felt he was unfairly targeted by the media around the time of the Euro due to his race.

“He felt he was being hunted down, that it was unjust, and that it had nothing to do with football,” Neville stated.