Bellingham's hometown buzzing about 'local hero' ahead of England's semi-final

[p]In packed stadiums in North America and pubs back home, people belt out the Beatles' Hey Jude and don t-shirts with slogans like 'Bend it like [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bellingham-jude/QNvlPm7s/"]Bellingham'[/a] - a play on the iconic 2000s film Bend it like Beckham.[/p][p]But nowhere is the 23-year-old midfielder more feted than his hometown of Stourbridge, a quiet market town in central [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a], west of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/birmingham/SWk4muv7/"]Birmingham[/a].[/p][p]Wheeling his bike past the town's shopping centre, retiree Keith Hall blows a kiss towards a superhero comic-style mural of Bellingham.[/p][p][b]"He's a local lad," [/b]Hall said, adding Bellingham [b]"keeps in touch with his roots"[/b] despite now playing for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a].[/p][p]Bellingham launched his football career playing for the Stourbridge Juniors, before joining Birmingham City's youth side and becoming the club's youngest first-team player.[/p][p][b]"It doesn't surprise me that he's become an international sensation because he's the coolest man currently living,"[/b] gushed grocery store worker Sam Holden, 21.[/p][p][b]"[a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kane-harry/v5HSlEAa/"]Harry Kane[/a] obviously can kind of save us in our time of need, but Jude Bellingham can just take us to the heights that England absolutely are capable of reaching."[/b][/p][image alt="Bellingham's recent player ratings" id="7dc4e251-40df-42e1-84e1-2b4e6bb71a65" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="b292c43f-c323-4af5-91e2-0fd6ebaa7a38" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]A regional railway company is offering passengers named 'Jude' free travel in Stourbridge this week.[/p][p][b]"We look forward to inviting Judes from across the region for a free ride on the Stourbridge Shuttle,"[/b] said Jonny Wiseman from the West Midlands Railway.[/p][p]The fever has spread beyond the area, known as Black Country, with a railway station in southeast London briefly renamed to "Jude Bellingham" station.[/p][h2]'King Jude'[/h2][p]In a pub in the village of Hagley near Stourbridge, Vienna Letts pulls pints and recalls the incredible atmosphere when Bellingham and England take to the field.[/p][p][b]"Hagley is quite a niche, quiet community normally, but it's like we've all come into one space to just support Jude,"[/b] said Letts.[/p][p][b]"No one would have thought that a boy from Stourbridge could be the top scorer and England could be in the semi-finals."[/b][/p][p]After two stunning goals against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a] on Saturday that fired England into the semis, Bellingham is tied with team captain Kane on six goals in the tournament.[/p][p]A local shop displays a portrait of Bellingham in its window, and during an interview, a man walks past yelling "Hail, King Jude!"[/p][image alt="Two fans pose in front of a mural of Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers" id="e19e25d3-bdcd-4e1e-a0c5-5b67cb2d22b3" credit-line="OLI SCARFF / AFP" guid="d5000106-829c-4481-aedf-3c57d0797bfa" original-width="5000" original-height="3333" /][p]In Birmingham, a mural has popped up showing the 23-year-old and teammate and fellow local [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rogers-morgan/lp4jm80n/"]Morgan Rogers[/a] eating local delicacy battered chips - dipped in an orange batter and deep-fried.[/p][p][b]"He's like a hero for other local people, local children, knowing (if) you work hard, you can meet your dreams," [/b]said Harpreet Bains, a 40-year-old teacher, visiting the mural.[/p][p]Back in Stourbridge, tanning salon manager Jessica said she'd been hearing chants of "Hey Jude" around town during the World Cup.[/p][p][b]"My children, they've now learned what that song is from it being sung at the football matches,"[/b] said Jessica. [b]"They (go) round the house singing it as well."[/b][/p][p]Bellingham appeared moved to tears after the England versus Norway game, when even football legend [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/beckham-david/S0VmZ6TT/"]David Beckham[/a] joined the huge crowds serenading him with Hey Jude on Saturday in the Miami Stadium.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/argentina-f9OppQjp/england-j9N9ZNFA/?mid=pKVyGJbD"]Follow England v Argentina with Flashscore![/a][/b][/p]