Jude Bellingham has enjoyed one of the best weeks of his career to date. The 20-year-old helped Real Madrid progress to the Champions League semi-finals and scored a late winner against Barcelona in El Clasico on Sunday to edge his side closer to their 36th La Liga title. On Monday, he picked up a prize at the Laureus World Sports Awards – and he still has more targets for the season. Jude Bellingham says he hopes to win his own personal treble with Real Madrid and the England national team to finish off the 2023/24 season in style.
Bellingham was handed the Breakthrough of the Year award at the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards by tennis star Carlos Alcaraz on Monday evening to cap off a fine week for the 20-year-old.
Last Wednesday, Real Madrid sealed their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals by beating Manchester City 4-3 on penalties in the quarter-final second leg. Then on Sunday, Bellingham scored the winning goal in a 3-2 win over Barcelona in El Clasico which put Real Madrid 11 points clear at the top of the table with just six games left of the season.
But it’s not just a double-winning season that Bellingham is targeting as he also hopes to clinch a third piece of silverware on the pitch with England at Euro 2024 this summer.
“It’s definitely something I want to do,” he said on the red carpet after picking up his prize at the Laureus World Sports Awards night in Madrid.
“We’ve still got a few more games to wrap up La Liga and then we’ve got two very difficult games against Munich [in the Champions League semi-finals].
“For the Euros hopefully we can take our form from the last few tournaments and do one better.” Bellingham has already scored 21 goals in 36 appearances for Real in all competitions this season after completing a €103 million move from Borussia Dortmund last summer. The England international says there are a combination of reasons for why he has settled in so quickly at Madrid.
“I think it’s a mixture of everything,” he added. “My team-mates are amazing. The staff are just great.
“I come out into the city every now and then and I’m really well received by the fans. It’s a really good mix.” Bellingham also admits that he lost “all control” of his body when he scored in El Clasico in the 91st minute on Sunday night.
“It’s a really special feeling,” he said.
“You lose all control of your body and how the normal senses that go through your head you lose them really, but it’s something that I really enjoy doing and hopefully there will be more.”