Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham praised for ‘British punctuality’

Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham can barely move for plaudits and adoration at the Santiago Bernabeu these days, once again proving himself the difference in their Champions League opener.

Los Blancos dominated their clash with Union Berlin on Wednesday, and came close to scoring on a number of occasions. Yet it wasn’t until the 94th minute they made the breakthrough, with Bellingham pouncing on a deflected shot from Fede Valverde.

It is one of a number of poacher’s goals that Bellingham has scored this season, as he notched his sixth in six games. Against Getafe too he got a late winner, similarly profiting from a loose ball in the box.

Diario AS have praised Bellingham for what they call his British punctuality. The 20-year-old midfielder always seems to be in the right place at the tight time, and has scored three of his goals in the 81st minute or later. All but one of his goals have led directly to points for Real Madrid this season too, amounting to eight in total.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti declared after that match that Bellingham was ‘lucky too’, on top of his quality, no doubt slightly tongue in cheek. Bellingham’s movement in the box is highly impressive. Often strikers do not have the presence of mind to be first to the loose ball in the box, but even in his youth, Bellingham has a sixth sense for where to position himself.