Jude Bellingham becomes the youngest Englishman EVER to score in Champions League as he opens his account in Europe with a stunner against Manchester City… and Owen Hargreaves says ‘unbelievable’ 17-year-old’s ability is ‘scary’
- REPORT: Man City survive early scare to reach Champions League semi-finals
- Jude Bellingham scored his first goal in the Champions League on Wednesday
- The 17-year-old did brilliantly to find the top corner to score against Man City
- He became the youngest Englishman ever in to score in the Champions League
- Owen Hargreaves heaped praise on the ‘amazing’ teenager following the strike
Jude Bellingham made history by becoming the youngest Englishman ever to score in the Champions League.
At 17 years and 289 days, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder rewrote the record books when he opened the scoring in the German side’s quarter-final second leg against Manchester City.
In the end City struck twice and progressed 4-2 on aggregate but it remained an historic night for the ex-Birmingham City star.
Jude Bellingham (left) made Champions League history with his goal against Manchester City
The 17-year-old became the youngest Englishman ever to score in the European tournament
Bellingham saw a goal in the first leg chalked off for a foul but was not to be denied this time as he took a touch before firing into the top corner for his first goal in Europe.
The former Birmingham City academy starlet, who was on less than £500 a week before leaving for Dortmund, was a standout over the two legs against City and his performance in Germany left BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves speechless.
‘Wow, he’s unbelievable, he’s amazing,’ Hargreaves said.
‘The touch, composure and finish. He has the instinct to arrive in the box and the quality to do that is scary. The more you watch him the more he blows you away.’
Soon after his goal he was racing back to clear Riyad Mahrez’s strike off the line and Hargreaves’ colleague Peter Crouch was most impressed with the teenager’s appetite to impress.
Ederson was at full stretch but could do nothing to keep out the English teenager’s strike
Borussia Dortmund’s official Twitter account was keen to remind followers of the player’s age
Rio Ferdinand gave his thoughts on the goal as the Englishman quickly trended online
‘Bellingham is everywhere,’ Crouch said.
‘He’s so fired up for this game but he’s remained so calm in possession and that’s so hard to do.’
Rio Ferdinand was quick to react to the goal as social media exploded into life when Bellingham found the top corner.
‘Judeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,’ tweeted Ferdinand.
Borussia Dortmund’s official account was in disbelief, writing: ‘Jude Bellingham is 17 years old.’
Bellingham got his first Bundesliga goal last weekend, netting in the win over Stuttgart.
Bellingham was super in the first leg and carried that form through to Wednesday’s second leg
It appeared as a coming-of-age performance for the 17-year-old even with Dortmund exiting the competition.
Mahrez cancelled out Bellingham’s early strike from the penalty spot soon after the second half began.
Phil Foden, who scored the decisive second goal in the first leg a week ago, made Dortmund pay once again as he hit a stunner from long-distance to put the tie beyond the Germans and send City into the semi-finals for the first time in the Pep Guardiola era.
Bellingham and Co now face a real fight to qualify for next season’s Champions League as they sit fifth in the Bundesliga, seven points behind Eintracht Frankfurt with just six games to go.
