Despite the curtain coming down on the domestic season in LaLiga, Real Madrid are now preparing for the first ever expanded FIFA Club World Cup which commences in Miami on June 14.

Los Blancos will be looking to the tournament as a means to paper over a poor 2024-25 season which ended in the departure of Carlo Ancelotti.

Speaking to TNT Sports, England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham offered his thoughts on the first 32 team tournament.

New tournament, new experience. “I think all our games will be brilliant because we have fans all over the world.

We always trust in the support we will receive, no matter where we play. There will be teams that don’t always get the opportunity to play with this kind of support and against the best teams in Europe.

It will make the competition an even more beautiful experience because you will be playing in different atmospheres. South Americans and Asians are different from Europeans in the way they create that atmosphere.”

Challenge with Madrid. “For us, it’s a chance to win another title. A chance to be the first to win this one. It’s not something we take lightly. It’s a bit of history because there aren’t many things you can achieve that haven’t been done before at a club like Madrid. So it’s good to have something that’s a new opportunity.”

Meeting a sports personality. “I think Michael Jordan. He’s a role model for anyone who plays a sport. I think he’s number one. If I could meet any athlete, that would always be my answer. But there are many. I don’t watch much NBA, but there are great players and personalities. I like Anthony Edwards, obviously LeBron James.

In the NFL, there are a lot of quarterbacks like Joe Burrow, Mahomes, Josh Allen... They have different aspects you can learn from, from their personality to the way they play, their style. They all have a superstar element that you can fall in love with.”

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