Real Madrid’s club captain, Nacho, expressed his belief that Jude Bellingham was destined for greatness at the club after the English midfielder netted his sixth goal in six games. Bellingham’s crucial strike secured a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over Union Berlin in their opening Group C Champions League match, with the goal coming in the 94th minute at the Santiago Bernabeu. The pivotal moment occurred when Bellingham capitalized on a loose ball in the six-yard box, courtesy of a deflected shot from Federico Valverde, denying Union Berlin a point in their competition debut.
Jude Bellingham, who has been in fine form, has now found the back of the net in five of his six appearances for Real Madrid, with his only goalless outing being in a 2-1 league victory against Real Sociedad last Sunday. Nacho, displaying his admiration for the young talent, commented, “I think Jude was born to play for Real Madrid. We’re fortunate to have him here with us. Let’s hope he continues to excel and score goals.”
This thrilling late-game win against Union Berlin marked the second occasion when Bellingham emerged as the hero at the Bernabeu in added time, following his 95th-minute match-winner against Getafe on September 2. Jude Bellingham Jude Bellingham Jude Bellingham
Reflecting on the game, Bellingham said, “We were patient. We knew we’d get chances at the end of the game. We had to move the ball, find spaces. We kept going, we showed a great mentality, great togetherness.” His goal against Union Berlin added to his impressive tally of 14 goals for Borussia Dortmund in the previous season, with six already to his name in the current campaign.
Bellingham, known for his creativity on the pitch, spoke of his dual role, stating, “Around the pitch I want to be an artist, I want to try to create opportunities for my teammates, but when the ball goes into the box I want to be a ruthless finisher. That’s what will secure our victories. Hopefully, this trend continues.”
Real Madrid’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has strategically deployed Bellingham in a more advanced, No. 10 role to capitalize on his goal-scoring ability. Ancelotti praised the young midfielder, saying, “Bellingham has quality, which is very important, and he has luck. This goal was reminiscent of the one against Getafe. He always arrives at the right time. He’s smarter than the rest.”