Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti exclaimed that Jude Bellingham plays like a 30-year old after inspiring Los Blancos to a massive 3-2 win at Napoli in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.
The 20-year-old English midfielder has been in blistering form for Madrid since joining in the summer from Borussia Dortmund and scored the second goal for his side to take his tally to 11 goal involvements (eight goals, three assists) in nine competitive games, the most of any non-striker across Europe’s top five leagues this season.
It was also back-to-back games Bellingham scored for Madrid in the Champions League, joining Christian Karembeu in 1998 and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009 to do so in their first two European games in the white shirt.
11 – Jude Bellingham has been directly involved in 11 goals in nine appearances for Real Madrid (eight goals, three assists); the most of any non-striker across all competitions for a team in Europe's big five leagues this season. Dominant. pic.twitter.com/yVOqBrxdXf
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 3, 2023
“What is surprising about Bellingham is that he is only 20. It feels like he’s 30, for his character, his personality,” Ancelotti stated.
“He is always focused on the match, he knows what he needs to do, and this is rare in a 20-year-old player. And then you have all his quality, his physical strength, his skills. It is surprising, we are all a bit surprised.”
Real Madrid have taken command of Group B in the Champions League with two wins from two games and sit three points clear Napoli and Braga while debutants Union Berlin remain winless.
