Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham reveals his surprising list of football idols

Jude Bellingham is arguably one of the best players in the world right now. He won the Kopa U-21 Best Player award during the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony. His performance with Borussia Dortmund earned him a transfer to Real Madrid this summer. The English national has been unstoppable since then.

3 things you need to know

• Jude Bellingham is currently the top scorer for Real Madrid 
• Bellingham won the Kopa U-21 Best Player
• Bellingham's no.5 jersey was once worn by Real Madrid great Zinedine Zidane

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Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham selects his footballing heroes

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham has captured the attention of football fans worldwide with his unusual list of football heroes. Bellingham, who just moved from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid and won the renowned Kopa Trophy as the world's best young player, finds himself in the limelight. When asked about his childhood and young football influences, the 20-year-old English international didn't hesitate to name three former Birmingham City players: Seb Larsson, Craig Gardner, and Lee Bowyer, as well as football superstar Zinedine Zidane. Talking to L'Equipe, he said:

"I admired the Birmingham players, the team that won the League Cup at Wembley (2-1 against Arsenal in 2011). My heroes were Seb Larsson, Craig Gardner and Lee Bowyer,"

“As I got more into it, dad was the most important. Later, my first models were Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, simply because they played in England. And then when you grow up, you start watching football. My dad had a fake Zidane shirt that he had bought on the beach. He took it everywhere, often at home. One day I asked him: ‘By the way, who is that guy?’ He replied: ‘Go on YouTube and check him out.’ Since then, I probably haven’t stopped.”

“Zidane was the player I wanted to be. I was lucky enough to meet him during the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool (1-0, in 2022). I was like a kid, wide-eyed. It’s so humbling for someone who has achieved so much. He gave off a great presence. And, according to the guys who played with him here, he was a great coach. That is just as important.”

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What’s next for Jude Bellingham?

This season, the Santiago Bernabeu has been buzzing with excitement thanks to Jude Bellingham's incredible 13 goals and three assists in just 13 appearances across all competitions. His brilliant play was a major factor in Real Madrid's triumph against Barcelona in the season's first Clasico, which put them atop the league rankings ahead of Girona and Atletico Madrid. On Sunday, November 5, fans will be able to witness Bellingham play for Real Madrid against Rayo Vallecano.