REAL MADRID
Jude Bellingham says how long he wants to stay at Real Madrid
The English player spoke yesterday after his man-of-the-match performance against Italy secured his nation’s place at Euro 2024.
It’s hard to find a player at the moment better suited for Real Madrid than Jude Bellingham. The English international is arguably the most in-form player in the world of football, consistently demonstrating his prowess in every match. On Tuesday evening he led his national team to a comeback victory against Italy, securing a spot in the Euro 2024.
While Bellingham didn’t score, he was undoubtedly the most influential player on the field. He drew the crucial penalty that Harry Kane converted, levelling up the score. Additionally, he crafted an assist for Marcus Rashford to complete the comeback, after stealing the ball near his own penalty area. The midfielder not only shows leadership through goals but also by dictating the play for both England and Real Madrid, with the team relying on his skills.
Bellingham eyes decade with Real Madrid
Following the match, the English international spoke to the media and once again expressed his gratitude for his early days in the Spanish capital, reiterating his affection for Los Blancos as well as his appreciation for the role assigned to him by club manager Carlo Ancelotti.
“This is the club I want to be at for the next 10 to 15 years of my life. I am loving it there,” he stated after just a few months in Madrid. “Carlo basically said this position is where he sees me. 100 per cent. When you are around those mentalities and quality of players every day, it takes you to a new level mentally, physically and technically.
“I am getting a little better each time I play. It was a really good night for us, we all remember what happened a few years ago when they played us here. You always aim for progression. We are heading in the right direction and a very important win for us. I am loving football at the minute. My management at club and country are giving me freedom to play it how I see it.
“Since the last few months I have been really working on my timing getting into the box and as I am arriving I am arriving with a big hunger. With the big transfer the fact is I have to deliver, whether it is a goal or assist or a match-winning performance.”
Bellingham covers for Benzema and Mbappé
The Madridistas are clearly delighted with his arrival. After a summer in which Karim Benzema departed and once again the dream of Kylian Mbappé was shattered, Bellingham is making everyone forget. The Englishman has won over the fans, not only with his goals and assists but also with his unwavering commitment to the team every time he steps onto the pitch. His reactions when Madrid is trailing, his statements, and his now iconic celebration have made the Bernabéu fall at his feet.
His desire to play for Madrid, turning down a substantial offer from Guardiola’s City and the emotional links with Klopp’s Liverpool, has also endeared him to the Merengue faithful. There isn’t a match where his name isn’t chanted or he doesn’t receive an ovation. His synergy with Vinicius, with neither of them being overshadowed by the other, has filled the Bernabéu with jerseys bearing the number 5 and Bellingham’s name.
Praise floods in for Bellingham
Even his compatriots can’t help but praise the Madrid player. Harry Maguire expressed his thoughts after the match.
“Is there a better midfielder in the world right now than Jude Bellingham? No, there isn’t,” said the Manchester United defender. “When Jude won the ball with a tackle on the edge of our area and then set up an assist for Rashford’s goal, it was truly spectacular.”
The English national team manager, Gareth Southgate, praised his outstanding performance: “I think the way he conducts himself and how he plays on the field shows how good he is.”
Gianfranco Zola, an Italian football legend, also lauded the Madrid midfielder.
“Jude Bellingham makes me laugh. When I was 20, I was still drinking milk from my mum, and look at what he’s doing.”
In Italy, their opponents from last night, there has been no shortage of praise for the Englishman. La Gazzetta dello Sport, in its match report, salutes Bellingham.
“He played as a leader and conjured the magic that led to his team’s first two goals.”
In his homeland, the Daily Mail asserts that the midfielder is positioning himself to be Kane’s successor as the most important player for his national team and the future captain. A caller to Talksport draws a comparison with Barça and Madrid legends: “Bellingham & Foden are our Xavi & Iniesta! He reminds me of Zidane. Ten years above. We’ve got the best chance!”
The Athletic also pays tribute to the Englishman: “There is a complete obsession with Bellingham in Madrid - like the one we saw here for Erling Haaland a year ago - and it is spreading across Europe.” Tim Spiers does, however, ask if his decision to stay in Spain means fans in his home country will never truly understand or appreciate how good he is.
Bellingham: a consistent MVP
Jude’s stellar performances on the field have seen him awarded the Man of the Match trophy in nearly every game he plays.
With Real Madrid, he has been named the MVP in seven matches: against Athletic, Almería, Celta, Union Berlin, Girona, Napoli, and Osasuna. He missed out on this title in only three games.
For England, of the three games he has played this season, he was named the best in two: against Scotland and Italy.
Bellingham himself claims to have a strong hunger to be the best: “Right now, I love football. I come into games with a lot of hunger, eager to win, score, and assist,” stated the Englishman who continues to bring joy to his club and his national team.