"Fans in his hometown cannot get enough of watching England's Jude Bellingham."

"Kyle Jackson, a 26-year-old football enthusiast, speaks passionately about the admiration for Jude Bellingham among locals at the Green Duck Brewery in Sturbridge.

As England prepares for their final group game against Slovenia, anticipation builds among the packed benches. "He’s got the world at his feet. It makes people proud, him being from around here," Jackson remarks. "You can hear everyone chanting, ‘He’s one of our own’."

Born in Sturbridge, a market town in the West Midlands just outside Birmingham, Bellingham, at 20 years old, is already hailed as one of the world's premier footballers, much to the town's immense pride.

Excitement reaches its peak in Sturbridge, with the Green Duck Brewery offering a free pint to patrons in its taproom for every goal Bellingham scores. His early tournament goal led to over 100 free drinks being enjoyed by fans.

“It was a really good atmosphere. We were just thinking of something we could do, and we thought let’s give away a bit of beer,” says Alex Hill, the brewery’s director. "It was 100% worth it, and we stuck to our word. It’s a bit of fun, and it gives something back to our customers. And there’s such a sense of pride for him here."

Tuesday saw a mix of frustration and hope among fans as England failed to score against Slovenia. "But we’re England fans, we live in hope," a supporter noted.

Wearing a Bellingham football shirt, Holly Miller-Manly, 39, feels a strong connection to him. “Seeing all the Sturbridge flags on TV at the games, it feels like he’s putting Sturbridge on the map," she says. "He’s such a great role model for kids."

Matt Owen, 30, a local and Birmingham City supporter, reminisces about Bellingham's career, from his debut as Birmingham City's youngest first-team player to his current standing. "When he was playing senior football at 16 you couldn’t tell he was going to be the best in the world, but you could tell he was going to be very good."

He describes the special atmosphere in Sturbridge when Bellingham scores for England. “There’s not that many famous people from Sturbridge, especially for sport, so having someone who’s possibly a future England captain to be from here is quite mental really.”

“He’s really popular generally, the way he carries himself, conducts himself, the way he speaks – you wouldn’t think he’s 20 years old. People warm to him because of that," Alex Jeavons, 31, adds.

“It’s just generally quite surreal that he could legitimately be the best footballer in the world, and he’s from here.”