Jude Bellingham can become one of Real Madrid’s biggest players, says former Los Blancos chief Rafa Benitez.
The English midfielder was a hit in the Spanish capital from his transition from Borussia Dortmund 2023 and leads his efforts to defend the Crown of his Champions League this season after raising a trophy in his first campaign in Bernabeu.
Bellingham scored a winner in Real’s 3-2 win over Manchester City last week and is ready to be key to his side that has progressed through their knockout play-off on the second leg on Wednesday.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Spaniard Benitez believes that the 21-year-old has all the tools to become the latest on the long list of greats at the famous Laliga club.
The former real boss said, “Has potential, yes. It is possible to do it, it’s a question of time. I said before, modern football has changed a lot. In the past they are players, they have people around, but they were more focused and you didn’t had social media, so you had fewer distractions.
“Now they have so many people, so much money, so easy to get everything you want, and social media has so much influence that it is difficult to be consistent for five, 10 years.
“So we’re talking about being better than [Alfredo] Di Stefano, to be better than Raul, be better than [Emilio] Butragueno. You have to be really consistent to be better than them. It has potential, yes.
“Can he do it for a few years? It depends on how mature he is and then the people around him.”
5️⃣ @Bellinghamjude
9️⃣ @Kmbabappe pic.twitter.com/wyobdd3z1m– Real Madrid Cf 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadenid) February 18, 2025
‘Real will do the job’
Real Madrid scored two goals in the last five minutes at Etihad last Tuesday, allowing them to return home with key advantages, and Benitez believes his ex -side will get a job.
He added, “Theoretically, Real Madrid has to attack, but I think Carlo Ancelotti will not worry about it. It has come to expect that now that Real’s job will end up on Bernabeu.
“Manchester City does not have the same confidence they have had in the past. But don’t forget that it is a champions league, and Pep Guardiola has experience, and the players he has, have a huge experience at the European level.
“So I think everything can happen. When they have so much quality in the team, on the team, everything can happen.”
