Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham: Injury left me ‘very upset for an extended period’
Jude Bellingham expressed that he felt “very sad for a long time” while he was on the path to recovery from a hamstring injury, after making his return to Real Madrid in the team’s 3-2 LaLiga victory over Atlético Madrid on Sunday.
The midfielder came on as a substitute in the second half during the intense derby match at the Bernabéu, marking his first appearance since February 1. He has also been selected by Thomas Tuchel for the England squad for the upcoming international break.
Injuries have limited Bellingham to only 15 starts in LaLiga this season, as he initially recovered from shoulder surgery performed in the summer, which sidelined him until mid-September, and then sustained a thigh injury just ten minutes into a league match against Rayo Vallecano last month.
“[My recovery] was very long,” Bellingham stated in Spanish during an interview with Real Madrid TV. “Seven weeks. Long and challenging. I was genuinely sad for a long time, but now I’m pleased because I’m back training with my teammates.”
The England international enjoyed a remarkable debut season at Madrid, netting 19 league goals in 2023-24, but has not been able to replicate that success in the following two seasons, scoring four times in LaLiga thus far in 2025-26.
Madrid has faced a challenging season, with coach Xabi Alonso being dismissed in January and succeeded by Álvaro Arbeloa, but results have shown improvement in recent weeks, including a victory over Manchester City in the Champions League round of 16 and now a win against Atlético in the derby.
“The team is performing exceptionally well right now, defending effectively and attacking efficiently, particularly in the last two or three matches,” Bellingham remarked. “The fans on these nights are always fantastic. This atmosphere greatly assists us, and that’s why the team puts in such effort. Especially in derbies, or against City, all the players truly feel the support from the fans.”
Bellingham commended his in-form teammates Vinícius Júnior and Fede Valverde, both of whom scored against Atlético and have also contributed goals in the two matches against City.
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“In difficult times, those two consistently find a way to elevate their performance to assist the team,” Bellingham noted.
“During the periods when we faced numerous injuries, they have always supported the team. Fede exemplifies that attitude, and Vini demonstrates how to recover from a challenging situation. What they are accomplishing at present is remarkable.”
