Bellingham admits mistake upon Madrid arrival: "Everyone warned me..."

Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has opened up about the struggles he faced due to a shoulder injury sustained in November 2023, which prevented him from performing at 100%. The English midfielder admitted that delaying surgery was a mistake that impacted his performance and caused him the most pain he'd ever experienced in his career.

Signed in the summer of 2023, the midfielder made an immediate impact for the Merengues, quickly becoming the team's top scorer. However, a shoulder dislocation suffered in a match against Rayo Vallecano in November marked the beginning of a challenging period. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, the former Borussia Dortmund player described the moment of the injury.

"It all started on the day of the Rayo game. It was the most painful sensation I've ever had. It felt like an eternity until they put it back in place, but it was only 90 seconds from when they came onto the pitch and did it. Before, I had managed to put it back in myself when it came out," he recalled.

The England international revealed that the problem wasn't new and that he had already been advised to undergo surgery while still playing for the Bundesliga club. "In my last season at Dortmund, at the beginning, they had already told me I needed shoulder surgery after a fall. I knew something wasn't right, but it was August, almost September, and the World Cup was in December, so I didn't have the surgery," he explained, adding that he started to feel better and by the time he arrived in Madrid, he was no longer in pain.

The decision to postpone surgical intervention, even after joining the Spanish club, was a mistake he now acknowledges. "Everyone warned me that I needed surgery, but it was my first year at Real Madrid, and I didn't want to let the team down and be out for three months," he stated. Bellingham admitted that, although he wasn't in severe pain, the injury significantly affected the rest of his body and his confidence. "Playing knowing that if I fell, my shoulder could dislocate again, prevented me from being at my best level."

The player also reflected on another missed opportunity to address the issue. "After losing the Euro final against Spain, I didn't want that to be my last feeling for three months, but that would have been the best time for me to have surgery. I decided to continue for another year, and I shouldn't have done that."

Now recovered, Bellingham feels ready to return to his full potential. "Last year made me understand that I couldn't take winning for granted again. Now I'm physically better, and I can get back to my level," assured the midfielder, who will turn 23 in June.

Bellingham is one of several young talents in the Real Madrid squad, which includes players like Huijsen, Guler, Asencio, Camavinga, Carreras, and Gonzalo, aged between 21 and 23, in addition to even younger prospects Mastantuono, Thiago Pitarch, and Endrick, who are under 20.