Jude Bellingham has been named the UEFA Champions League Young Player of the Season after an outstanding campaign for Real Madrid.
Bellingham finishes his first year at the Santiago Bernabeu as a league and cup double winner, playing a significant role as Madrid backed up their La Liga triumph by also claiming their 15th European Cup/Champions League crown courtesy of a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on Saturday night.
The England international had a quiet game against Dortmund but did create the goal that effectively secured the title, capitalising on Ian Maatsen’s mistake to send Vinicius Jnr through to score the second goal with seven minutes to go.
It was Bellingham’s fifth assist in the Champions League this season, adding to his four goals for Los Blancos.
“I’ve always dreamed of playing in these games,” he said.
“I can’t put it into words. It’s the best night of my life. It’s got to be up there in terms of the perfect season. I can’t have dreamed it much better than this. I’m so grateful to my team-mates, my family, the team behind the scenes: the physios, everyone there. This is a massive group effort.”
Jude Bellingham is the 2023/24 #UCL Young Player of the Season! 👏#UCLfinal
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 3, 2024
He added to TNT Sports: “The pressure is a lot, in the club there is the bubble of players and staff but outside it feels like the world is on top of you.
“Something happens in training and five minutes after it is in the media.
“But nights like this are why you want to play for this club, the pressure builds and builds but then you win and it is an amazing feeling.”
Next up for Bellingham is the European Championship where he will hope to help England go one better than three years ago when Gareth Southgate’s men lost in the final to Italy after a nerve-shredding penalty shoot-out.
