Zidane in tight spaces, Gerrard in open field: Hey Jude! Premium

Jude Bellingham has quickly become a fan favorite at Real Madrid, scoring important goals and celebrating them with open arms. His 103 million euro move from Borussia Dortmund has been a success, as he has added to Madrid's tougher core and replaced Karim Benzema's goals. His ball-carrying and passing stats are top drawer, and his athleticism and intelligence make him a threat in transitions. He is the complete midfielder, and with the world seemingly at his feet, he needs careful management to maintain his extraordinary trajectory.

The Santiago Bernabeu isn’t a place for shrinking violets. The iconic stadium, which Real Madrid calls home, has intimidated many a rival player. But the crowd is perhaps even more critical of its own. Accustomed to watching some of the finest players in history, the fans can swiftly turn on a footballer who they believe doesn’t have what it takes to wear the Madrid colours.

It was on his debut in front of this exacting audience that Jude Bellingham produced a moment of pure swagger. In the LaLiga game against Getafe, the 20-year-old sent his marker the wrong way with a sharp feint. He then brandished an imaginary cape, mimicking a matador who had eluded a charging bull. It was a nod to Spanish culture, but also a sign of how comfortable he felt in Madrid’s high-pressure environment, where winning everything is the minimum expectation. 

Bellingham ended the night by nearly blowing the stadium’s new roof off with a last-gasp 95th-minute strike to earn Madrid a narrow win. He repeated the miracle in his first Champions League game for Los Blancos, conjuring up another injury-time winner, against Union Berlin.

Bellingham has enjoyed a superb start to life in the Spanish capital after his 103 million euro move from Borussia Dortmund. Wearing the No. 5 on his back in tribute to Zinedine Zidane, the England midfielder has quickly become a fan favourite.

It is not surprising that Madridistas have instantly taken to him — he scores important goals and celebrates them with his arms open wide, as if to share his joy with them. He has been serenaded with the chorus of a famous Beatles song. “When they sang ‘Hey Jude’ at the end, I got goosebumps,” he told Real Madrid TV after the win over Getafe. “I just wanted to turn and stand still and listen to it while my legs were shaking.”

Bellingham’s purchase was, in part, a response to the stinging defeat the record 14-time European champion suffered at the hands of Manchester City in last season’s Champions League semifinal. He is viewed as one of the main ingredients of a regeneration. Madrid has started reducing minutes for its veteran midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos while allowing Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Fede Valverde more opportunities. 

The 6’1” Bellingham adds to the tougher core Madrid sports this season, shorn of Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, who now plays in Saudi Arabia. And his goals so far have replaced Benzema’s — Bellingham has played more like the French forward than Les Bleus icon Zidane.