Madrid Coach Alonso's Stunning Praise For Jude Bellingham: 'Even Better Than...'

Last Updated:October 27, 2025, 12:44 IST

Xabi Alonso praised Jude Bellingham for his rapid recovery and key role in Real Madrid's 2-1 El Clásico win over Barcelona at Santiago Bernabéu, boosting team confidence.

Jude Bellingham (X)

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said El Clásico match-winner Jude Bellingham has looked better than they expected with his recovery from a serious shoulder injury that needed surgery. Alonso said Bellingham is a player about ‘feelings’ and connection, suggesting that he has found that in this Madrid side.

Bellingham set up Madrid’s first goal for Kylian Mbappe and then scored the winner himself as the Los Blancos beat their staunchest rivals 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu. The midfielder missed several weeks at the start of the season after the surgery, and was not called up by coach Thomas Tuchel for England’s World Cup qualifiers earlier in October.

His impact on the team looked almost instantaneous when he broke the deadlock against Juventus in the Champions League with a late winner.

“We saw it against Juventus, and today, and against Getafe (last weekend), in the last week he’s had three very good games," Alonso told reporters as quoted by AFP. “At first you need a bit of time, some minutes to get in gear, and it’s gone even better than we expected after the last international break, when he was here and not with the national team. Jude is a player who is about feelings, on communicating and connecting, and that’s why he has played some very good matches."

It was Alonso’s first Clásico win since taking over arguably the biggest club in the world. However, he realised it was an even more special one for his group because of the feeling and confidence boost it’d offer them.

“The team was very motivated, we had been talking about how important the game was beforehand, not just for the three points," explained Alonso. “(But instead) for where (we) came from, for having a good game, deserving to win, and I am very happy for the boys above all because they needed this feeling of being able to win a big game, like Clasicos are."

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