Gullit was speaking to Mail Sport at an event in London as a Heineken ambassador

Gullit elaborated on his perspective, stating, “If you see other players also, Vinicius [Jr] is also part of it, [Kylian] Mbappe is part of it, [Erling] Haaland overall didn’t have a great season but I think that for Bellingham it’s too early.” He added, “After the injury [in February], he had a little bit of a dip and things like that, he’s still trying to find his, his shape, his form. So, therefore it comes too early.”

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will not take place until October 2024, and a host of players are in contention to dethrone the current holder, Lionel Messi. While Gullit believes Bellingham may not be ready this year, the young Englishman’s name has been consistently mentioned in discussions about the award, alongside his Real Madrid teammate, Vinicius Jr.

Bellingham has captivated Spain with his exceptional performances, and his popularity among the Madrid faithful has soared. As a result, the expectations and pressure on Bellingham have increased, and with Euro 2024 approaching, England fans are eagerly anticipating his impact on the national team.

When asked about the tendency to place excessive pressure on young, talented players like Bellingham, Gullit, the former AC Milan and Chelsea manager, did not hold back. “Yes, but keep on doing it,” he said jokingly. “Sometimes you bombard people already like [they’re] your saviour and things like that, and they are still young.”

The legendary Dutch midfielder won the Ballon d’Or while at AC Milan back in 1987

The former Chelsea boss also expressed his belief that England puts too much pressure on young talents like Bellingham

He continued, “He’s 20 years old, Bellingham, come on, give him some time, and of course, he’s matured already but give him time. He needs to learn from [Toni] Kroos how he has to do it, how he has to compose himself. These guys are already there for years. So, therefore give him some time, England, please.”

Ruud Gullit was speaking as a Heineken ambassador. Heineken has redefined what it means to be a ‘real hardcore fan’ by celebrating those who go above and beyond to support the game they love and foster an inclusive environment for all fans.

 

 

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Legendary Dutch midfielder Ruud Gullit explains why England star Jude Bellingham WON’T win the Ballon d’Or this year and pleads fans not to ‘bombard’ him with pressure