Bellingham turns 23 with 46 goals and five titles for Real Madrid

Jude Bellingham was born on 29 June 2003 in Stourbridge, England, and today celebrates his 23rd birthday still in full competitive activity – the midfielder is playing his second World Cup with the England national team this summer. Two years after arriving at Europe’s most successful club, the assessment is hard to dispute.

An arrival that needed no adaptation time

Bellingham was signed from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023 and made his official debut for Real Madrid on 12 August that year, straight at San Mamés, against Athletic Club, in LaLiga. He scored right away and was named man of the match. There was no warm-up period. The Englishman stepped onto the pitch and was already an undisputed starter.

Since then, he has racked up 140 games in the Merengue shirt and 46 goals. For a midfielder, the average is above expectations – in the first season, there were 23 goals in 42 matches, a number that rivalled the leading centre-forwards of the Spanish league.

Five trophies in two years

The first season yielded a treble: Champions League, LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup. In addition, the Englishman won the UEFA Super Cup – in which he was named MVP – and the Intercontinental Cup. Five titles in less than two years at the club. Few players arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu and fitted so quickly into rhythm and output.

On the individual level, he was named by FIFA to the best team in the world for the third consecutive year in 2025, joining the FIFPRO Men’s World11. It is recognition that consistency was not a mishap along the way.

The player and the national team

An England international since the age of 17, Bellingham has already played in two European Championships and is now at his second World Cup. The journey with the Three Lions has been an essential part of his development – he grew up at Borussia Dortmund practically under the spotlight of the national team, and today he is one of the technical leaders of the group led by Thomas Tuchel.

At 23, there is still plenty of football ahead. But what has already been done would be enough to guarantee a good page in the club’s history. For Bellingham, it seems it is only the beginning.