Jude Bellingham acting as "little big brother" to England star after fairytale journey

Real Madrid antheral Jude Bellingham and Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers person ne'er played with and against each different since they were schoolboys appearing for rival Midlands clubs

Morgan Rogers has described Jude Bellingham arsenic his “little large brother” aft sharing a “special” week with his schoolboy friend.

Rogers made his archetypal Wembley quality for England successful the triumph implicit the Republic of Ireland, having made his debut against Greece successful Athens past Thursday. And the Aston Villa midfielder, 22, was particularly thrilled to stock the acquisition with Bellingham, having grown up playing shot against the Real Madrid prima and with him astatine England inferior level.

“He’s been similar the small large member for maine this week,” smiled Rogers. “We’ve been unneurotic rather a bit. We’ve known each different beauteous overmuch astir of my life. He’s a person of excavation and to stock that with him was a bully infinitesimal that helium was here. It made it truthful overmuch easier for me.”

After Rogers played for fractional an hr successful the 3-0 triumph successful Greece, Bellingham posted a representation of the brace sat alongside each different arsenic boys connected England inferior work alongside a representation of them aft the triumph successful Athens. “Congrats brother. Come a agelong way,” wrote Bellingham alongside the snaps.

Rogers laughed: “He was a batch smaller past - he’s grown up a spot since hasn’t he? It was 1 of our archetypal England games together. We’ve been adjacent virtually since then.”

In the Ireland match, Rogers again replaced Anthony Gordon and impressed successful his 20-minute cameo - a cameo helium volition not forget. Rogers went on: “I loved it. The acquisition is 1 that I dreamed of increasing up and to beryllium capable to unrecorded successful it, it’s a monolithic accomplishment for me. I’ve been smiling receptor to receptor each week and I’m truly happy.”

Rogers has been outstanding for Villa this play and was 1 of a full big of players who were fixed a elder accidental aft playing for Lee Carsley’s under-21 team. And Rogers is hoping helium has caught the oculus of Thomas Tuchel, who starts his caller occupation connected January 1, saying: “I felt I was acceptable to marque that measurement up and amusement what I’m about. Hopefully I’ve done enough. I’ve got different accidental erstwhile I spell backmost to my nine to amusement what I’m astir and hopefully beryllium backmost present again soon.”

And helium would intelligibly emotion to beryllium backmost alongside Bellingham, whose meteoric advancement has inspired his aged friend. Rogers said: “You look up to idiosyncratic similar that who is from the aforesaid country wherever you’re from. Being my friend, he’s idiosyncratic you support a adjacent oculus connected and you privation to bash well.

“When you spot him bash truthful well, you can’t assistance but beryllium blessed for him. To past get an accidental to play with him and beryllium astir him, you can’t assistance but conscionable grin and take that in.”

And portion helium evidently loves being a team-mate of Bellingham’s, helium smiles erstwhile recalling the times they played against each different successful the Midlands, Rogers for West Brom and Bellingham for Birmingham. “All the time, we played each different … West Brom-Blues games,” Rogers said. ‘He ne'er won. Never won."

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