Real Madrid scraped a dramatic 1-0 win over Athletic Club on Sunday thanks to a 93rd-minute thunderbolt from Fede Valverde but Jude Bellingham’s performance stole headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Starting in an advanced role between Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, the English midfielder failed to make the desired impact for large parts of the game, drawing mixed reviews from Spanish media and a wave of criticism from rival fans online.
Sport rated Bellingham a modest 6/10, calling him “a shadow of last season”. According to the outlet, “it’s not about position, but about finesse and that’s what was missing.”
Marca, however, saw some sparks of the old Jude, especially in the second half: “He came close with two headers in under a minute, proving once again that he can be decisive around the box.”
AS gave him 2 stars out of 5, stating: “He and Rodrygo were invisible in the first half but improved after the break.”
Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo barely spared him a line, offering a disappointing 1 star out of 3 for his overall display.
The online chatter was less forgiving.
One user wrote, “Bellingham has mastered the art of looking busy… closer to McTominay than Musiala.”
Another added: “He couldn’t even shine against Bilbao’s B team. Let’s stop comparing him to Pedri.”
Still, some Real Madrid fans defended him, noting his second-half resurgence:
“Looked like a different player. Did a good job pinning Athletic back.”
Bellingham’s form appears to have dipped after being repositioned from a false nine/attacking midfield role to a more traditional midfield slot — a shift triggered by Kylian Mbappe’s arrival. However, with Mbappe set to return this week, Bellingham may be moved back up the pitch for Madrid’s midweek derby against Getafe.
All eyes will be on whether he can recapture his early-season magic or if the criticism will keep piling up.
