Jude Bellingham to emulate Mary Earps? Real Madrid & England superstar joins Luke Littler, Joe Root & Keely Hodgkinson on BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist

Some 12 months ago, having starred for England during their run to the Women’s World Cup final, goalkeeper Earps landed the prestigious individual prize. She is now preparing to pass on that crown – potentially to another familiar face from the world of football.

It has been revealed that Real Madrid midfielder Bellingham is among the contenders for the latest SPOTY award. The 21-year-old hit 23 goals for Los Blancos last season, helping them to La Liga and Champions League titles. He then played a prominent role in the Three Lions’ run to the final of Euro 2024.

The other candidates for the 2024 gong are Olympic gold medal runner Keely Hodgkinson, teenage darts sensation Luke Littler, record-breaking cricket centurion Joe Root, Para-cyclist Sarah Storey and triathlete Alex Yee.

Director of BBC Sport Alex Kay-Jelski, who has been involved in some big decisions involving Gary Lineker and Match of the Day this year, has said of the battle for SPOTY supremacy: “It's a fantastic shortlist. All six have kept us on the edge of our seats this year, showing us how sensational they are. I'm looking forward to reliving each of their successes on the night and finding out who audiences want to be crowned BBC Sport Personality of the Year 2024.”

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year will be revealed on December 17, with former Lioness star Alex Scott forming part of the programme presenting team alongside Gabby Logan and Clare Balding. Bellingham is due to be in Intercontinental Cup final action with Real Madrid the following day.