This is Jude Bellingham's world. We (and Real Madrid) are lucky to be living in it

Graham Hunter, a writer from Spain, wrote an article on October 29, 2023, at 9:00 AM.

Jude Bellingham, the person who helped Real Madrid win the Clasico on Saturday, has made just one mistake since his record-breaking €103 million transfer to LaLiga this season.

Interestingly enough, during the interview after scoring a last-minute goal against Union Berlin in the Champions League, I brought up the topic of whether it would be beneficial for him to score earlier in the game to avoid the stress of a close finish. Although he has a remarkable record of scoring game-winning goals, it would certainly be less nerve-wracking for himself and his fans if he could secure the lead earlier on in matches.

Filled with a mixture of happy hormones and delight, he held on to his Man of the Match award and chuckled heartily. "I suppose it would benefit everyone's overall happiness if I started scoring earlier in the game, maybe in the 47th or 60th minute... but I'm content with continuing to score these game-winning goals in the nick of time!"

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The 20-year-old Englishman exuded a lively and joyful demeanor when it was revealed that he had opted to sign with Madrid over Manchester City. This showcased his exuberance and positive outlook on life. However, both myself and Bellingham were unaware that there was an even superior option available.

Why not give it your all and achieve both feats? Why not astonish everyone with a mighty goal from afar to tie the Clasico match against Barcelona, and then deliver a game-winning goal in the final seconds?

Bellingham dominates the world and the rest of the population is fortunate enough to reside within its boundaries.

During one of his impressive performances in the Champions League, he included a line that caught the attention of many. He explained that he had his own television in his home since he was around 12 or 13, and as a result, he watched multiple incredible comebacks by Real Madrid. He was always left amazed and questioning how they could possibly come back from such a difficult situation.

The victory that he obtained on Saturday by defeating Barcelona 2-1, was not exactly of that level.

As soon as Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, began substituting players without being concerned that Bellingham might not be having a good day, especially since Gavi was playing exceptionally well against him, the Clasico game rapidly shifted towards Real Madrid's favor.

It's truly remarkable how a fresh-faced and inexperienced individual, who is also a non-native speaker and still adjusting to a new culture, managed to excel in one of the most challenging and politically-charged clubs in the world. Despite facing a tough and disheartening day, this person was able to produce magical moments and lead their team to an away victory in the Clasico.

If any of you feel like the events happening in Bellingham are becoming routine due to its significance and magnificence, I urge you to pause and reconsider. It's important to remain mindful and not take things for granted.

In August, during an interview with LaLiga TV, I was asked about my thoughts on the impact an Englishman could have on his new club and LaLiga as a whole. I confidently stated that a phenomenon had indeed arrived. I stand by that statement and refuse to lessen its significance in any way.

On Saturday, when Bellingham scored Los Blancos' first goal, Nacho turned to the other players on Madrid's bench and exclaimed "Madre mia!" in the midst of all the excitement. This phrase is universally recognized as a way of expressing complete and utter amazement.

Nacho might not be considered as the most talented or proficient player at Madrid, but hold on. If you observe his remarkable goal from afar, which he scored for Spain against Portugal at the 2018 World Cup, your mind will be blown away by his capacity to score such an incredible goal. However, what's even more impressive is his reaction towards Bellingham's move, which left him speechless despite being capable of scoring a goal of that magnitude.

I once had the chance to interview the legendary footballer Johan Cruyff. I spoke to him at his home in a wealthy part of Barcelona known as the Zona Alta. During our conversation, I asked him about his toughest opponent on the field. Without hesitation, he replied that it was the tenacious Berti Vogts, who was part of the 1974 World Cup-winning team. I asked him to explain why he found him so challenging. Cruyff, visibly affected by the memory, said that Vogts would always manage to catch up to him, snapping and snarling at his ankles, even after he had performed his skillful footwork to evade him.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Cruyff's Clasico debut as a member of Barcelona, Bellingham was displaying his impressive skills in the Olympic Stadium. If the legendary Dutch footballer was still alive, he would have surely smiled while watching Gavi's exceptional performance against the Englishman, similar to Vogts-style mastery. However, it should be noted that the domination only lasted for most of the game.

Gavi played a big role in Barcelona's success, especially when they were winning. If you watched Gavi and Bellingham together, you might think that Gavi was small enough to fit in Bellingham's pocket. But that wasn't true. Gavi kept Bellingham from succeeding by bothering him and pushing him, while also helping his team with good passes and lots of energy. He even stole the ball from Kroos and gave it to López, who almost scored a goal. Although Madrid did eventually win, it was interesting to see how one player like Gavi could make such a big difference on the field.

After the game, Xavi Hernandez, the coach of Barcelona, stated that they played well for 60 minutes and scored a goal. However, their opponents had a good 25-minute game, scoring twice. Although their performance was good, it all comes down to effectiveness, and at the moment, Bellingham is in top form.

The home squad had a crucial moment that unfortunately didn't result in any points, as the video assistant referee (VAR) failed to notice a blatant foul committed by Real Madrid's midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni on Ronald Araújo, which deserved a penalty.

However, during this period of allegations and defamation, when every game enthusiast requires convincing assurance that the accusations made in the LaLiga bribery scandal involving referees, are untrue or can be thoroughly investigated and dealt with, it's essential to mention that the referee, Jesus Gil Manzano, performed exceptionally well throughout the game. This allegation has damaged the reputation of Spanish football.

He was open to facing tough challenges and remained in close proximity to the game to prevent players from deceiving him with their theatrics. His refereeing was exactly what his superior, Luis Medina Cantelejo, expected from the officials. The aim was to have fewer minor fouls and more consistent decision-making, as is typically seen in England, Germany, or the Champions League. Their objective was to have fewer interruptions, smoother pacing of games, lessened chances of footballers deceiving the refs, and, as a result, a more enjoyable spectacle for all.

That's absolutely what we experienced at the Olympic Stadium—the show was Citius, Altius, Fortius, which means "Faster, Higher, Stronger" in the Olympic slogan.

It appeared as though fate had decided that the Clasico match would have a distinctive English touch, particularly because the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood were also born in the same country as the young Bellingham, who was playing. Interestingly, the Barcelona team had to feature the Stones' emblem on their shirts due to their sponsors, Spotify, but there was another musical element that arose during the game.

Possibilities were "In Dreams" by Roy Orbison, "Dreaming" by Blondie, or "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by the Eurythmics because each tune represented the emotion felt by both scoring players in the first Clasico game of the season.

When Ilkay Gündoğan was a child in Turkey, he would join his family in the living room on Champions League nights to watch Barcelona play on TV. He daydreamed about wearing the same Blaugrana strip as his heroes. Ilkay shared with me that he was only able to sit on the floor during these family gatherings because all the seats were occupied by his siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. They were all fascinated by the way Barcelona played during those times.

That's the reason why Gündoğan declined numerous clubs that offered him a higher salary and also refused Manchester City's renewed contract to join Barca without any transfer fee this summer. He pursued his aspiration and then he capitalized on Tchouameni's poor interception of the ball, passing through an unguarded Dani Carvajal and David Alaba, and scoring a goal under Kepa for 1-0.

It simply occurred that Bellingham had a greater, tougher, more youthful, or more fortunate aspiration – choose whichever you prefer.

During the previous summer, Bellingham declined the opportunities to remain in Dortmund, join Liverpool, or even consider playing for Pep Guardiola and contributing to the reigning treble champions. Similar to David Beckham and Gareth Bale in the past, Bellingham aspired to compete for Los Blancos - to become a part of the countless iconic players who've contributed to this football club's unmatched success.

Real Madrid has once again been fortunate this season as they have relied on the force of dreams to help them win. In order to express the significance of this, they can sing a few verses of "Hey Jude" by The Beatles. Even when the odds are against them, Real Madrid manages to find success. This was demonstrated when Luka Modric accidentally bounced the ball over Martinez, which allowed the last Barcelona defender to make a mistake by leaving his shoulder open. As a result, Real Madrid made Barca's world colder by taking advantage of their error.