The midfielder has been close to Ronaldo in both goalscoring and swagger during his early career in the Spanish capital
Wearing Real Madrid’s No. 5 jersey, it’s hard not to stir up memories of Zidane when watching Jude Bellingham take on Napoli in Tuesday’s thrilling Champions League clash. Despite the French midfielder’s legendary status, Bellingham’s current form may be underrated.
He became the second Real Madrid player to score in the club’s first two Champions League games when he scored the second goal in Real Madrid’s 3-2 win. The only other person on the list? Cristiano Ronaldo.
It seems foolish to place Bellingham in Ronaldo’s league after just nine games. Of course, Ronaldo has played for Real Madrid for nearly 10 years, scoring 450 goals, winning La Liga twice, the Champions League four times, and winning the Ballon d’Or four times. By contrast, Bellingham have made a strong start but Real Madrid only hold a slim one-point lead in La Liga. They are not the same type of player, nor the same level of player (yet).
However, it’s difficult to recall a player who made such an immediate impact on the 14-time European champions and the city around them. Ronaldo joined from Manchester United in 2009. Next up for the Galacticos, it’s reassuring to see that their latest superstar appears to have arrived and has the potential to achieve Ronaldo’s impact on the team.