Bellingham questions man of the march award 

England midfielder Jude Bellingham has questioned his selection as the Man of the Match after the Three Lions were held to a goalless draw by Ghana in their opening Group C match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Real Madrid star received the award after a dominant display in midfield, but he insisted the recognition should have gone to a Ghanaian player whose defensive performance helped the Black Stars to hold them to draw.

Speaking to BBC Sport after the match, Bellingham said, “Yeah, I didn’t deserve it, to be honest,It probably should have gone to one of their lads,” he said

The midfielder noted that, the game was tough to conquer, “They defended so well we had a couple of moments. It was hard to get in a game, but I’m grateful for whoever voted.
They defended so well, so fair play to them.”

Bellingham’s remarks have drawn praise from football fans with many describing his comments as a show of sportsmanship and respect for Ghana’s performance.

While FIFA’s Technical Study Group selected the England midfielder as the Man of the Match, Bellingham believed Ghana’s resilience deserved greater recognition.

Following the England-Ghana match, many supporters on social media argued that Ghana captain Mohammed Salisu, goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi, or another member of the Black Stars’ defence should have been recognised for keeping England scoreless.