Jude Bellingham’s late victory over Celta Vigo on Friday night increased his fame as a Real Madrid hero.
Nine minutes from time, the 20-year-old England international nodded in to keep Real’s undefeated start to the season going. Since Cristiano Ronaldo accomplished that feat for Real in 2009, he has already scored four goals in his first three LaLiga games.
Bellingham’s accomplishment is arguably the more impressive given that Real’s first games have all been played away from the Bernabeu. The renowned stadium is still undergoing renovation, and the midfielder is scheduled to play his home debut next Saturday against Getafe.
Real signed Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund in an £88.5million deal earlier this summer after beating off competition from most of Europe’s top clubs, including Liverpool. “Love a late winner, 3/3,” tweeted Bellingham. “Time to see my new home.”
Real Madrid defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-0 thanks to Bellingham’s LaLiga debut goal, who was not well-known for his goals in Germany. Then, he scored his first ever brace for the Spanish powerhouses, who used it to come back against Almeria and win 3-1.
In order to take advantage of Bellingham’s attacking skills against Celta Vigo, Carlo Ancelotti used him as a false nine. Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo played the wings, while Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, and Aurelien Tchouameni played in deeper roles.
The Englishman is surprisingly filling the void left by Karim Benzema following his summer move to Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad. “It’s crazy, I don’t know what to say,” said Real defender David Alaba after Bellingham’s latest heroics. “I’m speechless.”
Ancelotti is also delighted with Bellingham. “This wasn’t a victory purely based on quality, but rather on commitment,” the Real boss told reporters after the game. “Bellingham is doing very well, he keeps scoring and contributing to the team.”
The most recent episode in Bellingham’s amazing career is his outstanding performance in Spain. The young player was selected as the EFL’s Young Player of the Season after rising through the ranks at Birmingham City and making 41 Championship appearances in the 2019–20 season.
Bellingham’s attempt to get signed by Manchester United made everyone aware of his remarkable qualities. But what he has accomplished since his debut in the West Midlands is astounding. In July 2020, he took a risk by signing with Dortmund as a youngster.
Bellingham spent three fantastic years in Germany, winning the German Cup and just missing out on the Bundesliga crown on the final day of the previous campaign. However, he is destined to collect numerous awards at the club and maybe the international levels.
It’s unclear whether Bellingham will continue playing in such an advanced role. Ancelotti added: “Goals aren’t his biggest quality but he’s doing well. He is good off the ball, he’s intelligent and his timing is good. He’s got a lot of ability on the edge of the area.”
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