Jude Bellingham’s unexpected problems at Real Madrid and with England

This season has been a rollercoaster for Jude Bellingham. After undergoing shoulder surgery over the summer, Xabi Alonso rushed him back into the starting lineup for the Madrid derby at the Metropolitano, and the experiment failed. Real Madrid suffered their first serious setback of the season, a 5-2 loss.

Up to that point, the team had been cruising, aided more by results than actual performance in a stretch where Bellingham had not yet played (seven matches, seven wins) while recovering from surgery.

Bellingham struggling to match debut season

Since returning, Bellingham has yet to show the brilliance that made him a global sensation and justified Madrid’s astronomical transfer fee from Dortmund: €103 million ($121.5 million) guaranteed plus €30 million ($35.4 million) more in potential add-ons. And he did not disappoint initially.

Jude fit seamlessly into a Madrid squad still without Kylian Mbappé, playing without a traditional striker after Karim Benzema’s departure, and with Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo leading the line. The setup played perfectly to Bellingham’s biggest strength: making late runs into the opposition box.

But the reality is that Madrid signed him as a central midfielder, and that decision likely delayed further reinforcements in the midfield after Toni Kroos and Luka Modric left.

From a debut season where Bellingham was compared to Di Stéfano himself (23 goals and 13 assists), he has since struggled for consistency, producing only sporadic moments of brilliance (five goals in 20 matches this season, compared with 15 in 58 last season), without being decisive or fully influential in the team’s play. His style, straddling midfield and attack, makes him a challenging fit. Xabi Alonso’s difficulties in finding the right position for him since that Metropolitano derby illustrate this perfectly.

Madrid’s tactical experiments and adjustments for Jude

“I see him more as a midfielder,” Alonso said about Jude during the Club World Cup. Yet, for that first start at the Metropolitano, he switched to a 4-2-3-1 system to play Bellingham as an attacking midfielder behind Mbappé, bringing him closer to goal. The approach continued in the following matches until defensive imbalances appeared on the left flank, compounded by Vinicius’ struggles to track back.

Alonso again adjusted to make the team more compact. The current 4-4-2 formation, with Bellingham starting from the left but given freedom, forces him to exert significant energy to regain defensive positions while freeing Vinicius to play as a forward alongside Mbappé. Yet even with wins against Athletic Club, Alavés, and Sevilla - and a loss to Celta - the team still shows weaknesses in both creation and defending, conceding too many clear chances.

England’s Bellingham conundrum

Bellingham’s struggles have mirrored his experience with England. After returning from shoulder surgery, he has found it difficult to get back into Thomas Tuchel’s lineup. England reached peak form with eight wins in eight matches, scoring 22 goals and conceding none, securing qualification with two games to spare.

Still, debate continues over how Bellingham fits into the team. His challenges drew attention at Wembley, where fans greeted him - substitute in his first call-up in five months - with both applause and some boos. With Harry Kane as captain, Bukayo Saka settled on the right, and Elliot Anderson paired with Declan Rice in midfield, Bellingham must find his place. Phil Foden’s return to form adds another layer of competition.

Even in his next start, when he was named MVP in a 2-0 win over Albania, controversy followed. Bellingham left the field visibly frustrated when substituted, prompting Tuchel to rebuke him. “He was waving his arms and clearly not happy about being taken off. From afar, it does not seem like someone embracing the collective,” Tuchel said.

Despite the tensions, Bellingham retains his status as a key player for the World Cup, but like at Madrid, his role sparks debate. It is an unexpected challenge for a player once considered untouchable.