LaLiga players, coaches on stopping Jude Bellingham: 'You have almost no chance'

Jude Bellingham is known for his iconic pose of extending his arms in front of cheering crowds to celebrate his many goals this season. Fans, coaches, and players throughout LaLiga have witnessed this pose firsthand, whether they were at San Mamés, Balaídos, Montilivi, Montjuic or the Santiago Bernabeu. Thanks to Bellingham's 16-goal contribution, Real Madrid is currently leading the league. As they prepare to face Barcelona in the upcoming El Clasico match (which can be streamed live on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+), they currently hold an eight-point lead over their rivals, with only seven matches left in the season.

Bellingham had an impressive 2023-24 season, with some notable moments captured in the highlight reel. To start, he scored two goals against Barca during the season's first Clasico. One of his standout performances came in October when Madrid made a stunning 2-1 comeback win, with Bellingham scoring a contender for goal of the season and a game-winning goal in the 92nd minute. In Europe, Bellingham displayed his skills with a remarkable solo effort. He carried the ball from the halfway line to score a goal against Napoli during the UEFA Champions League group stage. Later, Bellingham helped put Madrid in pole position for the LaLiga title by scoring two goals in the team's 4-0 victory over Girona in February. This win effectively ended Girona's hopes of winning the league.

There have been some drawbacks as well. In November, Bellingham encountered a dislocated left shoulder. He still wears strapping for protection. In February, he also twisted his left ankle. Furthermore, he was ejected during a match against Valencia due to disagreements with the referee. Bellingham's ability to score goals was impacted.

This week, Bellingham shared that the injury he suffered in his ankle was the primary cause of his disrupted performance. After finally overcoming the pain, he played against Valencia and scored a goal that he believed was exceptional. Unfortunately, he was later suspended from play.

Even though Bellingham experienced a drop in his performance, he has still exceeded everyone's predictions. This month, his teammate Antonio Rüdiger mentioned being taken aback initially as he didn't know much about Bellingham. However, he is now impressed with his confident nature and self-assurance.

Carlo Ancelotti, who was his coach in Madrid, shares the same sentiments: "As a person, we were taken aback by how professional, responsible, and down-to-earth he was. It was quite impressive to see his level of maturity, especially for his age."

As Madrid is set to secure the LaLiga title with only a slim chance of losing it, Bellingham may be considered as the most dominant player in Spain this season. However, how do his rivals feel about facing him on the field? ESPN interviewed coaches and players who have encountered Bellingham in the 2023-24 season to examine his skills as a footballer, and to know how they attempt to contain him.

Last August when the LaLiga season began, Bellingham's significance for Real Madrid was uncertain. Despite his enormous €103 million price tag and impressive performances during pre-season, he was still a 20-year-old adapting to a new league and culture. Even seasoned players like Toni Kroos and Luka Modric were impressed with him, but there was no assurance that he would make an immediate impact.

In his very first competitive game on August 12th, Bellingham managed to score during a 2-0 victory against Athletic Club. He even admitted that his first try was a little clumsy but he was fortunate enough to succeed. However, from that moment on, Bellingham only gained more confidence and continued to impress. He even scored in his first four LaLiga matches.

The third game was on Aug. 25 and they won 1-0 at Celta Vigo. Luca de la Torre, who plays for the US national soccer team, started playing for Celta but was later replaced. Bellingham scored the winning goal in the 80th minute with a quick header from just outside the goalie's box. This was thanks to Kroos' corner kick being headed on by Joselu.

De la Torre shared with ESPN that the player is skilled at getting into the scoring position. This can pose a challenge for defenders, particularly centre-backs who are preoccupied with the striker. The player was able to score against them thanks to his strategic positioning. It is tough to defend against this type of play since the player is able to anticipate where the ball is headed. Therefore, it's crucial to have a strong understanding of the game to compete against this type of player.

Bellingham has been on an impressive run since joining Real Madrid, scoring a staggering 14 goals in just 15 appearances across all competitions. Even surpassing the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Alfredo di Stefano, who are considered the greatest players in the history of the club. However, in their first major challenge of the season against Atletico Madrid on September 24th, Bellingham's performance fell short. Despite his team having plenty of shots at goal (20), none of them were significant enough to make a difference. Bellingham only managed to take one shot, which was easily blocked by a defender, and it wasn't his best day on the field.

According to ESPN, Diego Simeone, the coach of Atletico, expressed gratitude for the luck they had in the game. The coach praised Bellingham, acknowledging his exceptional skills. He mentioned that the midfielder possessed a unique trait of making runs from deeper positions. Simeone also pointed out that the player exhibited qualities of both a forward and midfielder.

We often advise defenders to focus on two things: keeping an eye on the ball as well as the player. However, there may be times when they fail to do so. They may concentrate too much on the ball, resulting in them missing the opponent's movements, or vice versa. This situation can pose a challenge to defending effectively. The player's unpredictable movements can throw the defender off balance, leaving them unsure of where the player might pop up next. Yet, it is not by chance that the player suddenly appears from a deep position; rather, it is a result of deliberate and calculated moves. Moreover, this player is currently on a team that provides him with excellent opportunities to further develop. Personally, I am a big fan of his abilities.

Real Madrid has only suffered a loss in LaLiga this season, which happened during the derby.

Throughout the campaign, Madrid has faced tough competition from unexpected sources, Girona, rather than their usual rivals Atletico or Barcelona. Surprisingly, the Catalans have also influenced two of Madrid's outstanding performances, including a 3-0 triumph at Montilivi on Sept. 30 and an impressive 4-0 win in the return fixture held at the Bernabeu on Feb. 10. It is worth mentioning that Bellingham contributed to both victories.

According to defender Eric García, who is currently on loan to Girona from Barcelona, the player in question is having an outstanding season. He added that this individual is a great player and had already proven their worth in Borussia Dortmund, as well as with the England team. However, García also mentions that Real Madrid has several players that pose a threat, such as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes. Therefore, it is important not to focus solely on one player.

Bellingham has expressed his fondness for playing alongside the two Brazilians. These two players are the second and third highest goal-scorers for Madrid, with Bellingham being the highest. The front three have the potential to be a joy to play with when everything falls into place. During certain games, they have all felt like they were performing at their highest level. Bellingham recently shared this sentiment.

It's easy to think that the win against Girona in February was still in the player's thoughts. The match saw Vinicius, Bellingham, and Rodrygo all score, with Vinicius assisting the other two. Another impressive player of this LaLiga season, Girona midfielder Aleix García, told ESPN that stopping Bellingham is not an easy task. He has been playing at a high level. However, as a team, they have to work together and attempt to counteract Real Madrid's strengths, despite not being as strong individually.

According to Paulo Gazzaniga, the goalkeeper of Girona, the midfielder in question is versatile and can play in different positions on the field. He is capable of scoring goals and is skilled in bringing the ball out from the defense. The midfielder is also physically fit, which is something Gazzaniga sees as a challenge for his team. Although they may not measure up to his physical strength, Gazzaniga believes that teamwork will be the key to stopping him.

Some adversaries have posed a greater difficulty, and not necessarily the ones you'd anticipate.

Bellingham played in a match for Real Madrid against Rayo Vallecano on November 5th. Unfortunately, the game ended with a score of 0-0, which was not ideal for Madrid. Rayo Vallecano has been having a difficult season, and their record at the stadium was not great. However, they managed to frustrate both Madrid and Bellingham during the game. Bellingham was still quite active on the field, with 88 touches and completing 58 passes out of 65. He had three shots, but was unable to score. Rayo's defense was strong and didn't give Madrid much space to work with.

Isi Palazón, the playmaker for Rayo, shared with ESPN his observations about Bellingham's remarkable skills. Palazón was impressed by the way Bellingham is able to disrupt the opposing team's defense, due to his physical prowess. Furthermore, Bellingham's uncanny ability to score goals came as a surprise to Palazón, who would have never predicted such an outcome.

The number of goals that Bellingham had been scoring decreased at the start of the new year due to injuries and suspensions affecting his performance. He has participated in 10 games for Real Madrid in 2024 and managed to score two goals. The majority of his 16 LaLiga goals were obtained between August and November, and the remaining five were spread over five months. Bellingham failed to score in two games against one of LaLiga's toughest teams, Real Mallorca, who recently reached the Copa del Rey final and are currently ranked 15th in LaLiga. Despite this, Real Madrid managed to beat them 1-0 at Bernabeu on Jan. 3 and achieve the same narrow scoreline at Son Moix last weekend.

Bellingham participated in both games but was unable to score in either one. His combined XG, which refers to the number of expected goals, was 0.15 for both games. He had a total of four chances to score. The nearest he got to a goal was on Saturday when he struck a curling shot from outside the box, which hit the crossbar. Unfortunately, he was substituted in the 64th minute.

Cyle Larin, a forward for Mallorca, spoke with ESPN before their second meeting and explained that they didn't have any particular strategy to stop him. However, he acknowledged the player's skill and intelligence, stating that he could adapt to any tactics presented. Despite the difficulty in stopping him, their team was able to accomplish that feat in the previous meeting in January.

Last week, Predrag Rajkovic, the goalkeeper for Mallorca, mentioned to ESPN how he spends a lot of time watching games. He pays close attention to the way players shoot, move and run. He added that when Real Madrid comes, he especially takes note of their attacking players such as Vinicius, Bellingham and Rodrygo. He carefully analyzes their game styles. However, Rajkovic emphasized that despite all the analysis and preparation, live play is unpredictable. Anything can happen in just a second, which is why a goalkeeper must be alert and well-prepared at all times.

Bellingham is an outstanding footballer. He doesn't play like a typical striker, he's more like a creative midfielder, but he has managed to score numerous goals and contributed greatly to Real Madrid. I will have the opportunity to face him once again in the upcoming Euros in Germany, where Serbia will compete against England in Group C.

El Clasico is a huge event and Sunday's games at the Bernabeu is the perfect time for Bellingham to start scoring goals again. After being eliminated from the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain in the middle of the week, Barcelona are struggling and Madrid have a chance to deal a major blow to their chances of winning LaLiga.

It's going to be tough to beat what Bellingham added to the first Clasico of the season. During the game at Montjuic, Barcelona was much better for the first hour. However, the midfielder changed everything when he had his most memorable moment while playing for Real Madrid. After the game, Barcelona's goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen acknowledged "Bellingham altered the game with his two goals."

Barcelona's coach, Xavi, warned that the player in question is playing exceptionally well but it may just be a temporary streak of luck. "He scored the winning goal after getting a fortunate bounce of the ball. He's very self-assured right now and he truly stood out in today's game."

Even though Bellingham's ability to score points in the game might have taken a hit, he's still holding onto the second-place spot for most goals in LaLiga. However, Girona's own Artem Dovbyk has snatched the lead after surpassing Bellingham's score last weekend. Nevertheless, there's still a chance that Bellingham could regain his standing as Pichichi, the player with the highest number of goals in the first division of LaLiga by the end of the season.

On Tuesday, Bellingham mentioned that what causes him anxiety is when he fails to score and the team doesn't win. Even though his game involves more than just scoring goals, he acknowledges that achieving goals is something he enjoys. When you watch his games, you'll notice that he contributes to the team's success in various ways. When he's in the zone and scoring, he doesn't want to stop since it's such a great feeling. However, scoring isn't the only thing he can do to influence the game.

I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to score so many goals during my time here, but since it's happened, I am willing to embrace this responsibility. So far, I have scored 20 goals across different competitions, and I am hopeful that I will add more to my tally before the end of the season.

Beginning with El Clasico seems like a favorable option.