Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham at center of Spain's focus for Euro 2024 final

BERLIN — Harry Kane is England's top scorer, Bukayo Saka has been its most efficient Euro 2024 creator, Phil Foden is rounding into form, Kobbie Mainoo has thrived in midfield, but there is one man Spain is paying its attention to in Sunday's final (3 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

Jude Bellingham.

Bellingham came into the tournament off the back of a spectacular season with Real Madrid that saw him named La Liga Player of the Season. It is fair to say that while England is delighted to have a player of such caliber, he is just a big a star in Spain — if not more so — than in his homeland.

His face has been emblazoned on the front page of Spanish newspapers this week, there have been questions about whether tiredness from the long season in Madrid has contributed to his mixed performances this summer, and, more than anything, a feeling that keeping Bellingham quiet is the first step to Spanish success at the Olympic Stadium.

"He is a footballer I like a lot," Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente told a press conference. "He has qualities which really appeal to me. He is a strong player who has technical quality and harmony between his strengths.

"He also has agility and elegance. He has these virtues, he scores goals. He is an innate talent who is becoming very important. Aesthetically, he is very enjoyable to watch."

Bellingham's first season in Madrid was stunning in its efficiency. Playing a higher role than he did for previous club Borussia Dortmund, he found goalscoring form, hitting 23 in all competitions as Real completed a cherished double of the La Liga and Champions League titles.

In that sense, the average Spanish fan has maybe seen more of him than the average English one. At 17, he left hometown club