Following Jude Bellingham’s incredible start to life at Real Madrid, which saw the England midfielder establish yet another record on Wednesday night, Carlo Ancelotti has acknowledged that everyone has been taken aback.
Bellingham increased his record to 15 goals in his first 16 appearances after joining the Spanish powerhouses from Borussia Dortmund by scoring Madrid’s second goal in the 4-2 Champions League victory over Napoli.
Bellingham’s goal at the Bernabeu on Tuesday makes him the first Real Madrid player to score in each of his first four Champions League games. The fact that he is essentially a central midfielder, albeit one who is used in a more advanced capacity, and the lineage of attacking greats who came before him make the statistic all the more astounding.
Bellingham helped Real keep their perfect record in Group C by setting up the fourth goal in injury time for Spanish attacker Joselu.
Madrid boss Ancelotti said to Movistar Plus, “He’s spectacular in getting into the box; he comes into the box like a motorcycle.” It’s unexpected because no one could have predicted how quickly he would have adapted to this club and the kind of football he is playing. Fans, teammates, and even competitors are taken aback by him.
Bellingham, the headline €103 million summer acquisition for Madrid from Dortmund, has quickly established himself as a fan favorite and added to Los Blancos’ history.
After scoring five goals in his first four league games, he became the first Englishman to be crowned La Liga Player of the Month—an accomplishment attained in his debut month. In October, Bellingham was the winner once more.
By scoring both goals in Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Barcelona, the midfielder cemented his place as a Real Madrid legend by being the first player to score on his La Liga, Champions League, and Clasico debuts.
Bellingham’s achievements have even vaulted him above the likes of Pruden, Alfredo Di Stefano, and Cristiano Ronaldo in the record for most goals in a player’s first 15 games for the team (14).
