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Bellingham: Real Madrid's creator or goalscorer?
- Bellingham is set for a leading role under Xabi Alonso
- The Basque coach sees his star as a central midfielder
- The England international will undergo surgery after the Club World Cup
Jude Bellingham is set to play a leading role at Real Madrid C.F. under Xabi Alonso, just as he did under Carlo Ancelotti. However, the new coach is looking to evolve the Englishman’s position, placing a greater focus on creation.
Bellingham arrived at the Bernabeu from Borussia Dortmund in 2023 as a box-to-box midfielder. A player capable of linking defence and attack while covering a lot of ground. In the absence of a centre-forward, Ancelotti pushed him further forward, playing him as a deep-lying finisher and it worked to perfection. The Birmingham native scored 23 goals in his first season and 15 in his second.
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The arrival of Alonso brings a new reality for Bellingham. "Jude can be special anywhere,” said Alonso at a recent press conference. “He was at Dortmund when I arrived [in Germany] and has had a breakthrough in the last two years, marking an era. He is going to be fundamental for the club’s future projects. I see him clearly as a central midfielder and we are going to try and make him as efficient as possible, that's one of the steps we have to take."
Ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, Alonso reaffirmed: "Jude has the ability to cover a lot of ground. He has the soul of a midfielder, he likes to be involved, but he has great finishing ability. The important thing is the starting point. Finding him in the right spaces will help us because he has impressive qualities."
Even with his side down to 10 men, Bellingham showed his ability to score in the second match of the Club World Cup against CF Pachuca. In the first, against Al Hilal, he did not even get a shot off, but Alonso asked him to get forward against the Mexican side after Raul Asencio's dismissal, and he more than delivered. With two shots on target and one goal, the Englishman reopened the debate around his starting position: central midfielder or attacking playmaker?
His position has evolved over the years. At Birmingham he played as a box-to-box midfielder, and when needed operated as a left or right-sided midfielder. At Borussia Dortmund he took on a more creative role, even playing as a deep-lying playmaker on occasion. At Madrid, from day one he developed as an attacking midfielder, and has even played as a false nine, but he has clearly abandoned the latter role to bridge the space between the midfield and offense, and on many occasions be the creator in the penalty area.
The England international is embracing the ideas of his new coach and hopes to grow under him. "I talk to him every day,” said Bellingham after the win over Pachuca. “He's a top coach. He has a lot of good ideas about how we play, how we defend, and how we attack. He is very important for us during this new stage. We are very happy with him."
What seems clear is that Alonso wants him to operate near the left flank, close to the space Vinicius Jr. usually occupies. Against Al Hilal he took up that space, albeit with freedom of movement. Against Pachuca, he had to help fill the space in the midfield, dropping further back because of Asencio's sending off. No matter, he responded well and scored.
Bellingham faces a difficult few months. An ongoing shoulder injury means he will have to undergo surgery after the Club World Cup. "I'm sick of the brace,” he said in the mixed zone. “I hope we get to the final and that I have the operation a few days after the tournament to sort it out. I'm really happy about that, it's been a long wait. I've got to the point where the pain is no longer the worst thing. It's more the constant discomfort: having my shoulder pulled, having to reposition it over and over again..."
His absence will not make him any less important. The club and the coaching staff are counting on him for the present and the future. Despite his successes, Bellingham is still only 21 years old and has a long career ahead of him. Real Madrid will await his return with open arms, be it as a creator or a goalscorer, as long as he is on the pitch.
