Brilliant Bellingham ready for next step on path to greatness

Jude Bellingham, who is only 20 years old, appears to be a naturally gifted athlete with a predetermined path in his career that has been set since he was a baby.

He has smoothly made a transition from his local team Birmingham to one of the top youth talent-developing clubs in Europe, Borussia Dortmund, and finally to the grandest platform of all at Real Madrid.

His ascent has sometimes seemed planned out, and this could not have been more accurate than in the Wembley event that occurred on Saturday.

After an impressive debut season at Madrid, where he led them to victory in the Spanish league and received the title of La Liga's top player, Bellingham now has the opportunity to not just claim the greatest accolade in club football, but to also face off against his ex-team and play in his country's stadium.

Achieving victory in the Champions League shortly after joining Los Blancos, especially in such a perfect scenario, would feel like a natural progression for this newest Galactico towards becoming a prominent figure in modern football.

Additionally, presuming that nothing unforeseen occurs, Bellingham is set to represent England at the upcoming European Championship. This presents a chance for him to cement his legacy by securing a victory for Gareth Southgate's highly-regarded team.

If he manages to win one or both of the trophies, it's highly likely that he'll be seen as the top contender for the 2024 Ballon d'Or. Bellingham's exceptional skill, mindset, and maturity have always made it seem like he was meant to become the world's best player, but even his biggest supporters believe that he's surpassing expectations.

Exciting times are ahead: Jude Bellingham is currently the leading player for Real Madrid even though he is only 20 years old.

Bellingham became part of Madrid's team last summer in anticipation of moments like Saturday. Although Bellingham is new to the team, the Spanish side's goal is to continue their success in the European Cup by winning it again for the 15th time. Their boss, Carlo Ancelotti, hopes to secure his seventh win as both a player and coach.

It would be challenging to surpass Gareth Bale's five European Cup victories and significant contribution in the finals, but he was never considered the primary star at the Bernabeu.

Although Bale wasn't able to shine bright due to being overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo, Bellingham has already become a renowned star at Madrid in a way that Bale, Steve McManaman, and David Beckham couldn't achieve, even though they didn't win the Champions League with the club. Bellingham is the backbone of Ancelotti's team, and his teammates view him with respect that defies his young age.

In the upcoming match, it is highly likely that Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, and Toni Kroos will continue to be the main driving force for Bellingham. Additionally, it is expected that the English sensation will play in an advanced position as a No10, providing support to Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo who will lead the attacking front line. Saturday's game will also mark Kroos' final club appearance.

Dortmund, led by Edin Terzic, are unlikely to win, but they managed to prevent Kylian Mbappe from scoring in both matches of their semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain. This gives them confidence that they can also prevent Bellingham and his team from scoring.

Madrid has a dominant presence in this competition that often feels unavoidable, as demonstrated by their thrilling victory over Bayern Munich in the semifinals.

Dortmund has their own arsenal, particularly Jadon Sancho, who seeks to recover from the past. This is especially true since he will be playing at Wembley for the first time since his unsuccessful penalty attempt in England's Euro 2020 final defeat.

For quite some time, it has seemed inevitable that Bellingham would be recognized as the top player worldwide, but he has achieved this goal earlier than anticipated.

As of January, Sancho was compelled to practice and dine without companions at Manchester United. Nonetheless, he has encountered a renewal of energy since heading back to Dortmund on loan. Irrespective of the outcome on Saturday, Sancho has already reconstructed his standing and professional life. During the first leg of their semi-final, his display was a testament that he has the ability to alter the course of the game at the apex level.

Madrid is bidding farewell to Kroos, who has spent a decade playing for the club. At the same time, Dortmund will be playing the final match of their own legendary German midfielder, Marco Reus.

The upcoming retirements of this duo are just one of the numerous intriguing personal narratives that may influence the outcome of the competition. Nevertheless, Bellingham's ongoing ascent is undeniably the most gripping of them all.