After one of the best debut seasons for Real Madrid in history, Jude Bellingham earned a spot in the conversation for the 2024 Ballon d'Or.
Bellingham made headlines when the England international transferred from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid ahead of the 2023–24 season. At just 20 years old, the midfielder arrived in Spain with the immediate pressure of winning a major trophy after Los Blancos only managed to snag the Copa del Rey the prior year.
Coming into a team with some of the best midfielders in the world, including Toni Kroos, Luka Modrić and Federico Valverde, Bellingham had all to prove if he wanted to carve his own legacy and spot on Real Madrid. What transpired over the next 11 months elevated Bellingham from an emerging young player to a superstar across Europe.
In his first La Liga match, Bellingham found the back of the net against Athletic Club and essentially did not stop scoring for the rest of Los Blancos' Spanish campaign. The midfielder bagged a team-high 19 La Liga goals in 28 appearances. Many of the goals single-handedly secured three points for Los Blancos; Bellingham scored the winners against Almeria, Celta Vigo, Getafe, Osasuna, Barcelona (twice) and Alavés.
No player contributed more to Real Madrid's 36th La Liga title. Los Blancos finished ten points ahead of Barcelona and six of those points came from Bellingham's stoppage time winners against the Catalans. Even without a true No. 9 leading the line, the ex-Dortmund man stepped up and gave Real Madrid all the production it needed in front of goal.
Bellingham also contributed to Real Madrid's record 15th Champions League title. The midfielder recorded four goals and five assists in his debut UCL campaign with the Spanish giants. Like his timely finishing in La Liga, Bellingham scored the winners for Real Madrid in two of its six group stage fixtures. He also provided the game-winning assist in the round of 16 tie against RB Leipzig and assisted Vinícius Júnior's goal in the Champions League final. Not to mention his successful penalty in the shootout against Manchester City in the quarterfinals.
Bellingham's debut season with Los Blancos could not have gone much better. The midfielder helped Carlo Ancelotti's side top La Liga and the Champions League, and the club took home the Spanish Super Cup as well.
Coming off such a dominant year for his new club, Bellingham went straight to representing England at Euro 2024 and picked up where he left off. The 21-year-old scored the winner for the Three Lions against Serbia and then saved England's tournament berth with a stoppage time bicycle kick against Slovakia in the round of 16.
Two goals for England might not sound like a lot considering how many he netted for Real Madrid, but Gareth Southgate's squad only buried eight goals in seven matches, making Bellingham's contributions as a midfielder all the more impressive.
Bellingham also assisted England's only goal against Spain in the Euro 2024 final, but it was not enough to stop La Roja from taking home the title.
Despite England's shortcomings in Germany this summer, Bellingham's performances for both club and country put him in an elite tier of soccer players throughout the world. It was no surprise when he became a 2024 Ballon d'Or nominee just one year after he won the Kopa Trophy.
A panel of soccer journalists representing the top 100 countries in the FIFA Men's Rankings vote for the Ballon d'Or winner ahead of the ceremony, where the recipient will receive the award in front of the sport's most influential players, managers and executives. Bellingham's club teammate Vinícius Júnior and Manchester City's Rodri are the favorites to win on paper, but the England international is not someone to be counted out.
After all, if England triumphed over Spain and became European champions, Bellingham's case for the award would be virtually undisputable.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Jude Bellingham Should Win the 2024 Ballon d'Or.
