World Cup: England defender backs Bellingham, Haaland to forge next 'GOAT' rivalry

England defender Ezri Konsa sees a future legendary rivalry between Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland, potentially mirroring the era-defining competition between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The two players are set to face each other in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals as England takes on Norway.

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Everyone can see he has reached another level since the 2024 European Championship.

Konsa highlighted Bellingham's remarkable progress, stating that the midfielder has elevated his game to a new level since the 2024 European Championship. "Everyone can see he has reached another level since the 2024 European Championship," Konsa said of his teammate.

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It's very possible that in 15 years, I'll be sitting on my couch at home watching Haaland or Jude (Bellingham) become one of the two GOATs (greatest of all time) in world football.

With Bellingham at 23 and Haaland at 25, Konsa believes their legendary careers are just beginning. "It's very possible that in 15 years, I'll be sitting on my couch at home watching Haaland or Jude (Bellingham) become one of the two GOATs (greatest of all time) in world football," Konsa remarked when asked about their potential to emulate the historic rivalry of Ronaldo and Messi.

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I believe any team that faces us will find it a tough match.

Konsa also addressed the perception that England is overly reliant on Bellingham and captain Harry Kane, who has scored six goals in the tournament. He countered this by emphasizing the team's strength, stating, "I believe any team that faces us will find it a tough match." He defended the strategy of utilizing Kane's natural goal-scoring ability and Bellingham's capacity to both score and create opportunities, asserting, "We have them, so we should maximize their abilities. So far, this strategy has worked well, and hopefully, they will perform similarly in the quarterfinals."

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We have them, so we should maximize their abilities. So far, this strategy has worked well, and hopefully, they will perform similarly in the quarterfinals.