Not Kane, not Rice - Jude is England's best player
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 02.10.25. | 17:38
The English Football Association organized a vote and Real's midfielder got the most votes
Jude Bellingham has been named England’s best men’s footballer for the 2024/25 season in the selection organized by the English Football Association. The Real Madrid and England midfielder was chosen by fans’ votes as the best male player of the past season, finishing ahead of Declan Rice in second place and Harry Kane in third. This is Bellingham’s first time winning the award, and he also became only the second player to claim it while playing outside of England. The first was Owen Hargreaves in 2006, when he was with Bayern Munich.
🚨 BREAKING: Jude Bellingham is England Player of the Year! pic.twitter.com/13sWdjNYCw
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) October 1, 2025
Bellingham made eight appearances over the course of the season, during which England secured promotion to the Nations League A under interim coach Lee Carsley last September. In March and June, they began the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers under new head coach Thomas Tuchel. The Real Madrid midfielder scored in the match against Greece at Wembley last October and was named man of the match in the 5–0 win over the Republic of Ireland in November. Bellingham’s creativity also stood out, with a brilliant assist for Myles Lewis-Skelly’s first England goal in the match against Albania in March, as well as two more assists in the game against Ireland at Wembley. So far, Bellingham doesn’t look as he is about to be in the running for the second time in row, as he started the season on injured list and wasn’t quite convincing since he came back, but you never know...
Previous winners
2003: David Beckham (Manchester United)
2004: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
2005: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
2006: Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich)
2007: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
2008: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
2009: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
2010: Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
2011: Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur)
2012: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
2014: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
2015: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
2016: Adam Lallana (Liverpool)
2017: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
2018: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
2019: Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)
2020–21: Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United)
2021–22: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
2022–23: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
2023–24: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
2024–25: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
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