Toluwani Lasisi
No thanks to a calf injury, Jude Bellingham will be out of the next games of his club, Real Madrid; and England.
The Madrid midfielder sustained the injury in training just over two weeks before England begin their Nations League campaign.
The 21-year-old was unable to finish a club session on Friday.
Reports in Spain suggest he will be unavailable until late September, which would rule him out of Lee Carsley’s opening two fixtures as England interim manager.
England face the Republic of Ireland on 7 September and Finland on 10 September in the Nations League.
In a statement, Real said Bellingham had medical tests on Friday on the problem with his right calf and that his “progress will be monitored”.
Carsley, 50, was announced as interim manager earlier this month following Gareth Southgate’s resignation after Euro 2024.
Bellingham scored 23 goals in 42 appearances during his debut season at the Bernabeu last term as Madrid won a La Liga and Champions League double.
Also, a statement from the club’s website titled “Bellingham Medical Report” confirmed the news.
“Following tests carried out today on Jude Bellingham by Real Madrid’s medical team, the player has been diagnosed with an injury to the plantaris muscle in his right leg. His progress will be monitored,” the statement read.
Bellingham will miss La Liga matches against Real Valladolid, Las Palmas, and Real Betis, as well as England’s Nations League games against the Republic of Ireland and Finland in September.
