Jude Bellingham is proving himself as a leader for Thomas Tuchel's England at the World Cup. However, at Real Madrid, Bellingham is not even his club's fourth captain.
One fan wrote on Reddit, "After (Harry) Kane was subbed out he (Bellingham) was still out there motivating his team mates till the end! He’s born to be a captain!"
The supporter was talking about England's dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Azteca with 10-men. Bellingham scored twice in this game and has all-round play gained many plaudits. Kane is England captain, with Declan Rice as vice-captain. However, there is no doubting Bellingham's influence on the team.
Real Madrid has a unique system for appointing their captains. The captain is usually not chosen, but it goes to the player who has been at the club the longest. With Dani Carvajal having now left the club, Federico Valverde is expected to be captain.
Vinicius Junior would be vice-captain, with Thibaut Courtois third choice. The fourth choice would be Rodrygo. Although Andriy Lunin has been at the club longer, his stay has been interrupted by loans. Therefore, Rodrygo has had the longest continuous stay at the club.
Will Jude Bellingham be Real Madrid captain one day?
Bellingham has been with Real Madrid since 2023, so he may have to wait his turn until he becomes captain. That is, unless the new manager, Jose Mourinho, wants to change the club's traditional policy.
Mourinho is known for making big decisions when it comes to a club's captaincy. He made John Terry Chelsea captain when the player was just 23. Bellingham is the same age now. However, it is unlikely that Mourinho will go against Real Madrid's traditions. Even if Bellingham is not one of their captains, he will continue to be a leader in their dressing room.
Bellingham occasionally captained Borussia Dortmund when he was just 19. Marco Reus was the club captain, with Mats Hummels as vice-captain. Edin Terzic trusted the teenage Bellingham to be their third captain. Bellingham has also shown great maturity since he burst onto the scene at Birmingham City when he was just 16.
The midfielder will likely captain England one day too. Kane is now 32, but keeps himself in good shape and will probably continue with the Three Lions for a few more years. Rice is 27 and will probably succeed Kane as captain. However, the honor will then inevitably fall to Bellingham.
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