Jobe Bellingham’s football career is strikingly similar to that of his big brother Jude, from the unusual Birmingham-to-Dortmund route right down to their distinctive rangey stride, and so far it has been a case of, anything you can do, I did it faster, better, with a little more panache. But there is one thing Jude didn’t tick off on his meteoric rise – he never captained England Under-21s.

Proudly wearing the armband in September, Jobe shone in a 4-2 comeback win over Kazakhstan in qualifying for next year’s U21 Euros. It was another sign that the 21-year-old’s development is rapidly accelerating.

“He was outstanding,” U21s manager Lee Carsley said. “I went to watch Jobe a couple of weeks ago in Dortmund, and he’s progressing so quickly. Physically he’s grown. He’s definitely got that strength in his legs. He’s moving the ball so well and his footwork has really improved.…