Real Madrid legend Raul has heaped praise on summer signing Jude Bellingham, claiming the Englishman is the most impressive player he has come across in recent years.
Raul Full Of Praise For Real Madrid’s ‘Golden Boy’ Jude Bellingham
Bellingham has been in a league of his own since moving to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Operating as an auxiliary forward at the top of Carlo Ancelotti’s midfield diamond, the Englishman has scored 20 goals and claimed eight assists in 29 appearances in all competitions. No Real Madrid player has scored as many goals this season.
Raul, who is currently managing Real Madrid Castilla, was full of praise for the 20-year-old in his interview with English outlet The Mirror. The Spaniard noted how quickly Bellingham has settled in at the club, something many experienced players could not manage.
Raul stated (via Madrid Universal):
“Jude Bellingham is one of the players who has impressed me the most in recent years. I’ve had the opportunity to watch him train and to see the games, of course. But I believe that, as the president of Real Madrid, Florentino, would say, he was born to play for Real Madrid.
“In such a short time, he has been able to connect with the public, with the values that are transmitted in Real Madrid and sports in general. And then, as young as he is, he has a maturity, a way of expressing himself, a way of connecting with everyone, and I haven’t seen a player with those qualities for a long time.”
He concluded by adding:
“Well, I wish him all the best, because he’s just starting out, he hasn’t even been here in Madrid for six or seven months yet. But I think Real Madrid fans enjoy him and opponents fear him, which is a good sign.”
Los Blancos Have Missed Jude Bellingham In Recent Matches
Real Madrid’s leading scorer, Bellingham, has missed his team’s last three important matches (2 in La Liga, 1 in UEFA Champions League) due to an ankle sprain. Without him making driving runs into the box and pulling focus away from the likes of Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, Madrid have struggled to create as many chances as they do.
His absence was particularly evident in the 1-1 stalemate with Rayo Vallecano on February 18, in which Los Merengues only created one big chance. They also had only four shots on target, which is considerably below their lofty standards.
Luckily for Ancelotti, Bellingham is nearing full fitness and could play a part in Madrid’s meeting with Valencia on Saturday (March 2).
