Jude Bellingham and Florian Wirtz are the two most talked about attacking midfielders of their generation, born just seven weeks apart in 2003. Bellingham started the 2026/27 season fresh off a seven goal World Cup and has already passed 50 goals for Real Madrid, while Wirtz brings the more refined creative profile and a £116 million price tag at Liverpool. Here is how they compare, criterion by criterion.
Two very different ideas of a playmaker
Wirtz is a classic number 10. He drifts between the lines, receives on the half turn and looks for the final pass before he looks for goal.
Bellingham plays the role like a midfielder who refuses to stay in midfield. Under Jose Mourinho in Madrid, he says he has the freedom to drop deep or push higher depending on the game, and he spends much of his time attacking the box himself.
That difference shapes every number below, so context matters as much as the totals.
Chance creation: Wirtz takes it
When it comes to pure creativity, Wirtz is the sharper tool. FotMob placed him in the 95th percentile for chances created among attacking midfielders and wingers, and his output in a difficult first Premier League season was better than his assist tally suggests.
In 2025/26 he created around 60 chances in the league and posted an expected assists figure above five, yet finished with only three assists. Too many of the openings he carved out were simply not finished.
His Leverkusen years remove any doubt about his ceiling. He was named Bundesliga Player of the Season as Xabi Alonso’s side completed an unbeaten league and cup double in 2023/24, then followed it with 10 goals and 12 assists in the league the next year.
- Bundesliga assists for Leverkusen: 44 in 140 games
Goal output: Bellingham pulls level
Bellingham turns pressure into goals more often than any midfielder his age. He has scored 50 goals and added 35 assists in 154 games for Real Madrid, a pace that would flatter plenty of forwards.
Wirtz’s Liverpool numbers tell a harder story. His first season brought seven goals and seven assists in 49 matches across all competitions, and pundits like Alan Shearer openly questioned what he had delivered for the fee.
The 2026/27 campaign has started better under new manager Andoni Iraola. Wirtz has started all 10 Premier League games, with one goal and three assists, including a goal and an assist in the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on November 8.
- Bellingham at Real Madrid: 50 goals and 35 assists in 154 games
Trophies: Bellingham by a clear margin
Bellingham’s résumé is heavier. He won LaLiga and the Champions League in his first season in Madrid, plus the UEFA Super Cup, the Supercopa de España and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, after lifting the DFB Pokal with Borussia Dortmund in 2021.
Wirtz owns one historic season. The 2023/24 Bundesliga and DFB Pokal double with Leverkusen ended Bayern Munich’s 11 year grip on the German title, and he added the German Super Cup and the 2021 U21 Euro.
Neither player has won a senior international trophy yet, though Bellingham came close when England reached the Euro 2024 final.
Big game impact: the 2026 World Cup
The World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico gave American fans a close look at both players, and it widened the gap between them.
Bellingham arrived with his starting spot under debate and left as England’s driving force. He scored twice against Mexico at the Azteca in the round of 16, then struck twice more against Norway, including the extra time winner, to send England to their first semifinal since 2018. Argentina ended the run in Atlanta.
Wirtz was better than his critics claimed. His three assists put him near the top of the tournament charts when Germany went out, and he set up Kai Havertz’s equalizer against Paraguay in Foxborough. Germany still lost on penalties in the round of 32, and Wirtz went home without a goal.
- Bellingham’s goals at the 2026 World Cup: 7
The verdict
This duel is closer than the headlines suggest. As a pure creator, Wirtz wins: he sees passes few players even attempt, and his chance creation at Liverpool points to a player let down by finishing as much as by his own form.
Bellingham takes the overall decision by a narrow margin. He creates goals in more ways, has the trophies to show for it, and he delivered on the biggest stage of 2026 when Wirtz could not.
If Wirtz keeps building under Iraola, this ranking could flip by the end of 2026/27. For now, Bellingham is the better playmaker, by the smallest of edges.
FAQ
Who has more assists, Bellingham or Wirtz?
Wirtz has the stronger creative record over his career, largely thanks to his Leverkusen years and 44 Bundesliga assists. At Real Madrid, Bellingham has 35 assists in 154 games while also scoring 50 goals.
Who has won more trophies?
Bellingham, with six major club honors including the 2023/24 Champions League. Wirtz’s highlight remains Leverkusen’s unbeaten 2023/24 league and cup double.
Where can I watch Bellingham and Wirtz in the US?
Wirtz and Liverpool are available on Peacock and NBC as part of Premier League coverage. Bellingham’s LaLiga games with Real Madrid stream on ESPN Select, and Champions League matches for both clubs air on Paramount+.
Which player has the brighter future?
Both are 23, so the ceiling is still rising. Liverpool have reportedly committed to giving Iraola the full season to build around Wirtz, who is under contract until 2030, while Bellingham is already described by the club as a cornerstone of the Real Madrid project.