New Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa revealed that Jude Bellingham’s recent performances had led to a request he has never before had to give a player.
The former right back was appointed as head coach following Xabi Alonso’s dismissal and has won three of his first four games in charge to close Real Madrid's gap to Barcelona at the top of LaLiga to one point.
Alonso had struggled to gain favour amongst Madrid’s locker room of Galacticos despite his unprecedented success with Bayer Leverkusen, and was rumoured to have butted heads with Vinicius Junior, who stormed past him after being substituted in October’s El Clasico.
Jude Bellingham's Real Madrid style critiqued
Whilst Vinicius was the primary critic of Alonso in the squad, Bellingham was rumoured to have joined the likes of Federico Valverde, Kylian Mbappe and Thibaut Courtois in their scepticism towards Alonso’s approach.
Arbeloa, meanwhile, comes into the job with less expectation than Alonso and has seemed measured in his approach to managing stars such as Mbappe, Vinicius, and Bellingham.
In quotes relayed by Goal.com, he said: “Jude, and I'll say it right here, it’s not that he was a surprise, but from day one I've seen a player with exceptional quality and talent. Something that's even more surprising up close. But beyond that, I've seen a leader.
“The other day, 48 hours after a match, I told him, 'I never usually say this, but stop running'. The performance he's showing in training, his commitment and leadership… I'm very proud of his level and of having a player like him.
"On the pitch, he's capable of so many things: he makes runs into space, reads the game, and has a great shot. He's young, but he has a wealth of experience. And he's going to be the cornerstone of this Real Madrid for many, many years to come.”
England fans will be familiar with Bellingham’s industry, though that was levelled as a criticism during the 2024 European Championship, when the 22-year-old hustled his way through large periods of matches without influencing the play.
But the Madridistas have been enamoured with him ever since he propelled Los Blancos to the 2023-24 LaLiga title in his debut season, scoring 19 times in 28 games.
🚨 Álvaro Arbeloa: "Jude Bellingham, since I arrived I've seen a player with exceptional quality.""But beyond that I've seen a player who wants to be a leader, wants to be an example and is running like there's no tomorrow." pic.twitter.com/yPNCdVbnlIJanuary 27, 2026
His work ethic is undeniable, but Arbeloa’s suggestion of managing the distance he covers may go some way to preserving his body long-term.
Bellingham has scored six times since returning from a shoulder injury that postponed the start of his season, but 302 club appearances at 22 years old is abnormal and his physical load needs to be examined closely.
Los Blancos face Benfica in the Champions League tonight, needing just a point to guarantee a top-eight finish and an automatic berth in the last 16.
