How a 20-year-old Englishman fueled Real Madrid’s record-extending La Liga title and became one of the world’s best players

Jude Bellingham celebrated winning his first ever La Liga title with his mother, posting a picture on Instagram of the two hugging with the legendary Santiago Bernabéu Stadium stretching out behind them.

Jude Bellingham celebrated winning his first ever La Liga title with his mother, posting a picture on Instagram of the two hugging with the legendary Santiago Bernabéu Stadium stretching out behind them. Such an unassuming image is befitting of how the 20-year-old presents himself to the world, how he has impressed in his first year at Real Madrid both on and off the pitch, and how he is praised for his maturity and leadership skills as well as his talent on the pitch. Underneath the picture, his Real Madrid teammate Rodrygo had commented: “First league of many.” Already known as one of soccer’s brightest young talents from his time at Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham has cemented his status as one of the sport’s biggest names during his first season at Real Madrid, becoming the star within a team already packed with stars. The midfielder is now one of the early favorites to take this year’s Ballon d’Or trophy, has become beloved among the Madridistas, and has even perfected his own iconic goalscoring celebration, standing towards the crowd with his arms outstretched, soaking up the applause. That stance has become a familiar sight in La Liga this season as Bellingham netted an impressive 18 league goals, including late winners in both key El Clásico matches against Barcelona, the first of which was hailed by manager Carlo Ancelotti as the key point in deciding this year’s title race.