A dozen young men who bear a passing resemblance to England midfielder Jude Bellingham gathered at Boxpark in Shoreditch, east London, on Wednesday for a lookalike contest offering a £1,966 Deliveroo voucher. The event took place hours before England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta.
Competition details and prize
The prize for the most Bellingham-like contestant was a Deliveroo voucher worth £1,966, a nod to the six decades since England last won the World Cup in 1966. The winner, Marcus Legemah, a 24-year-old master’s student at University College London, was awarded the crown by popular acclaim. He received his prize from an Erling Haaland lookalike, to cheers of “Kiss! Kiss!” referencing the real-life friendship between the two footballers.
Contestants share their stories
Zane Proctor, a 19-year-old Manchester university student, said he found out about the event on Instagram. “I was in the local area and thought, why not?” He admitted he was not the closest doppelganger but praised Bellingham as a role model. “He is criticised a lot by the media, and I feel like his response to the media is very inspirational for young and upcoming players. I feel he is a really good ambassador for all the young people who look like me,” Proctor said.
Gabriel Mian, 20, from Orlando, stumbled upon the competition by accident. “I had to come to the station anyway, and some people told me I had to go. So I just walked up and now I am here, I guess,” said Mian, who is staying in nearby Brick Lane.
Winner’s perspective
Marcus Legemah, the winner, said he is often told he looks like Bellingham, “but it’s normally just drunk people in the pub. More since Jude has been playing well. So this tournament, it’s happened.” Asked what characteristic he shares with Bellingham, Legemah joked: “Sadly, apart from looks I don’t think there’s much.” The victory “means everything,” he said. “Now I can celebrate the final with some friends, with pizzas and beer.”
World Cup confidence
Legemah expressed confidence in England’s chances: “I think we are going to win. You have to have the confidence. I think it’s coming home.” The event offered fans a lighthearted diversion before the high-stakes semi-final, with influencers and cameraphones capturing the scene as participants posed with arms in the air.
