Real Madrid are built around larger than life superstars, and Florentino Perez has managed to bring in a few for this new era in Kyilan Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham. Although he can get overshadowed by the more attacking players in Madrid and has been playing an even more defensive role since the 2023/24 season after Mbappe's arrival from PSG, there is no mistaking the fact that Bellingham is a massive superstar in his own right.
Jude proved that point and destroyed the critics again, scoring a brilliant goal in a 4-2 win for England over Croatia, as he and Harry Kane thoroughly dominated Luka Modric and one of the regular tournament favorites. And Bellingham could have even scored more, producing great chances out of nothing.
It is remarkable to think that Bellingham still receives criticism even from some Real Madrid fans and those in the English media when he is so important to both organizations, but England and Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand is having none of it.
Jude Bellingham is not the problem
Ferdinand has become something of a friend to Real Madrid for how he has turned around and defended the club against the usual babbling of the English media against clubs not in the Premier League, and his close relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo has also made him a friend to Madridistas for always defending the Real Madrid legend against the usual barbaric criticisms of the media.
Well, Ferdinand is making it his mission to tell the world about how good Jude Bellingham is and, just like Cristiano, defend his name and make it clear how brilliant of a player the England international is.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the former Man United star center back said of Jude Bellingham, via Madrid Xtra, "Jude Bellingham? You don't do what he's done in the game without having a bit of arrogance, character, presence, and without expecting to be the #1 guy because that's what he's done all his career since he was 10 years old. Why change him when he's got this far, become this good and is one of the most integral players in this team. You're telling me he needs to turn it down a notch, please I am not having that. I can't accept anyone saying he's the problem."
Real Madrid fans will be applauding Rio for going to bat for Bellingham and will be in wholehearted agreement with what he is saying here. There are so many players like Jude or Cristiano who are misunderstood in the media because they are driven characters and world class players who demand excellence. Bellingham has fallen victim to a weird media narrative, and he is not the problem, but the solution for England.
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