Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham addressed concerns circulating on social media about tensions among him, Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo, and Vinicius Jr after Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Stuttgart in their UEFA Champions League opener. 

He firmly denied any discord, emphasising that the group is united both on and off the pitch. Bellingham dismissed the notion of any negativity, asserting that their camaraderie remains strong.

“I saw on social media that they are trying to create something negative between me, Mbappe, Rodrygo and Vinicius. The only truth is that we are very good friends on and off the pitch,” said the midfielder.

Thoughts on Mbappe’s performance

Reflecting on Mbappe’s recent performances, Bellingham expressed admiration for the French forward’s seamless integration into the team. He noted that Mbappe’s debut did not surprise him, as he is accustomed to the forward’s exceptional performances. 

Bellingham highlighted his teammate’s ability to handle the pressure of playing for a club as prestigious as Real Madrid, noting that his presence has already made a positive impact. He believes Mbappé will be a key player for Real Madrid this season and in the future.

“It’s what he does, I’m not surprised at all. I didn’t even realise it was his debut, I just thought it was another game he would score in,” the midfielder was quoted by AS.

“He always delivers so far, it’s a lot of pressure coming to a club like Madrid, but he’s taken to it really easily and the lads love him already.

“He’s going to be a huge player for us, this season and beyond,” he added.

Toni Kroos’ exit

Bellingham also shared his thoughts on the departure of Toni Kroos, describing the retired German midfielder as “irreplaceable”. He acknowledged the challenge of filling the void left by Kroos, recognising that the team has undergone changes in style and strategy. 

“It is definitely a new-look team, we’ve changed a few things,” Bellingham added.

“The loss of Toni is huge in terms of the rhythm and the way we play, and he’s such a player and is irreplaceable, so we have to find different ways to cover his hole.

“It’s getting a lot better. We’re going to lose balls, we’re going to miss chances, we’re going to misplace passes, but as long as we keep on this path, working hard, putting ourselves to connect and learn with each other, we’ll be fine,” he noted.

Return from injury

On a personal note, Bellingham spoke about his recent return from a muscular injury, which had kept him sidelined since the season opener against Real Mallorca. 

He described the past three and a half weeks as challenging and expressed frustration at being out of action, given his generally injury-free career. 

Nonetheless, he was eager to return and made his comeback in this game, starting rather than coming off the bench as initially planned. 

“Three-and-a-half weeks [out] has been difficult. I’ve not been injured a lot in my career, so whenever it happens, I’m a bit impatient,” he said.

“But this time I wanted to take it slowly and agreed this would be the game I came back in – maybe off the bench – but I was buzzing to start. In the first half, I left it all out there, I was that excited and all over the place, just wanting to create and get in the box.

“Second half, I probably just ran out of a bit of steam, so I stayed a little bit deeper, but I’m getting used to being back, finding my feet again and I’m sure I’ll be fine this season,” he concluded.