Jude Bellingham enjoyed a dream debut for Real Madrid after the England midfielder scored his team’s second goal in a 2-0 win at Athletic Bilbao in their Spanish league opener on Saturday.
Wearing the No. 5 of Madrid great Zinedine Zidane, Bellingham started the match while Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, the veterans he is tapped to take over from, watched from the bench at San Mames Stadium.
His goal was not a work of beauty like so many crafted by Zidane, and he perhaps had a bit of good fortune to guide it into the net. A left-side corner kick by David Alaba found Bellingham unmarked in the area, where he knocked the ball with one touch down onto the turf, only for it to bounce high and sail into the net over goalkeeper Unai Simon.
The 20-year-old jogged to the endline and raised his arms to soak up the applause from the Madrid fans.
His goal doubled Madrid’s lead in the 36th after Rodrygo had put Madrid ahead eight minutes earlier.
Madrid defender Eder Militao injured an anterior cruciate ligament during the match. The Brazilian is the second player to sustain the same injury this week, following keeper Thibaut Courtois on Thursday. He will be out for around six months.
