When Bellingham made the move from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid in the summer for €103m, there were high expectations based on the transfer fee alone. Bellingham had proven himself to be an exciting player, but no one would have expected his start to go so well.
As well as adding a new dimension to Real Madrid’s midfield, Bellingham has replaced the goals lost in Karim Benzema’s leaving the club. Last season, Benzema scored 19 goals in 24 La Liga games, stretching that to 31 in 43 across all competitions.
For some people, this output has launched Bellingham into conversations around the world’s best player, a debate that has heated up since Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo left European football.
“It was the throne of Vinicius, Mbappé, Haaland,” former Real Madrid midfielder Guti told Marca. “But Bellingham is the only one who has realized that the throne of Messi and Cristiano is free… and he is going for it.”
Whatever the truth, Bellingham will likely have to wait at least year to be formally recognised. The favourite Ballon d’Or is currently 2022 World Cup winner Lionel Messi, followed by Erling Haaland. They are 1/7 and 4/1 respectively with Sky Bet (18+ only, Be Gamble Aware). The distant third, on 20/1, is Bellingham.
If Madrid’s new MVP wins the 2023/24 Ballon d’Or and the presentation is before the 28th September 2024, however, he will officially become the youngest winner in the award’s history, breaking Ronaldo Nazario’s record.
Eight of Bellingham’s 10 goals have come in the league, including five in his first four matches, two of which were late winners. He also scored twice at the weekend against Osasuna in a 4-0 win, taking him top of the La Liga goalscoring rankings. In the Champions League, Bellingham netted another late winger against Union Berlin and found the net in the 3-2 victory over Napoli.
A fantastic start to life as a Real Madrid player on its own, but how does Bellingham’s start compare to modern Los Blancos greats?
0 Comments