There has been a lot of slagging off of Real Madrid's superstar players this season, and nobody has been immune. Even Fede Valverde found himself in the crosshairs of Xabi Alonso, Madristas, and the wider footballing media for complaints about his attitude and even quality. But for the most part, the three biggest names, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham have found themselves the targets of rather brutal criticism that has bordered on unfair.
While, yes, even the great ones have their flaws, and every human being on this planet has an ego to be checked, the criticisms of these three have been preposterous and damaging, especially from within the walls of their own fan base.
And it has been particularly displeasing to see what many individuals have been saying about Bellingham, which borders on blasphemous. Here is a guy who nearly carried Borussia Dortmund to a league title before he had to watch injured from the sidelines as BVB melted down yet again, then won the Champions League and La Liga title in an insane first season in Madrid without so much as arguing about why Vinicius Junior got double the credit he did. And then that summer, the English media crucified Jude despite the fact that he was the biggest reason why they even had a shot at the trophy at all.
Jude Bellingham is vital to Real Madrid
Coming into Tuesday night's game against Bayern Munich, the questions about Jude Bellingham were mostly about whether or not he should start so soon after coming back from injury. While you cannot fault Alvaro Arbeloa for playing things safe with a crucial player, you can certainly fault the fans, who were foolish enough to say for months on end that the team does not need Jude, that Jude does not fit, that Real Madrid are better without Jude, and that players like Arda Guler and Thiago Pitarch are far better.
With all due respect to Guler and Pitarch, who are excellent young players with important roles at Real Madrid, but comparing them and putting them over Bellingham is a profound lack of ball knowledge and an insult to this generational player in midfield.
Real Madrid were a totally different team even in just the few minutes Bellingham was involved. His athleticism, intensity, and, yes technical quality and creativity, helped change the game for Real Madrid, nearly turning the tide of the match to a win. Pitarch and Guler are great, technical players and know the game beyond their years, but Bellingham is no slouch as a technician either or in his IQ while offering a level of athleticism on and off the ball that nobody else on this team - and nobody else in the world, really - can match.
That is the truth Real Madrid and their fans must take with them. Bellingham is indispensible. He makes the difference at the highest level in the biggest games, whether we are talking about El Clasico, the Champions League, or the Euros. Know this.