Steve McManaman has hailed Jude Bellingham and his performances in his first season at Real Madrid.
The former England star knows all about the pressures of playing for the Spanish club, having starred at the Bernabeu during his stint at the club in the 2000s, and talking to mark the launch of Panini’s Official England Sticker Collection - where he features as a Legend - he was quick to praise the impact Bellingham has made since arriving at Madrid.
“Jude’s a very special player and it's not just because he’s doing what he’s doing at such a young age.
"It’s hard being a player at Madrid - they have a determination to win trophies every single year. As a team, you simply cannot have a barren year of any sorts, you have to win.
"Ahead of the season there were question marks about the team, mainly where the goals were going to come from? So, the fact that he joined such a huge club, at 19 years of age, changed positions and he's scored the amount of goals he's has, I think that just shows how very special he is.
“He's doing everything right personally; he just needs to finish it off now and win some silverware. He's already won his first trophy in the Spanish Super Cup and Madrid could all but secure the league title within the next few games. If they do that, he’s had a very successful first year as a Real Madrid player.”
The Official England Sticker Collection Tournament Edition 2024, with 100% official kits and 387 stickers to collect, is available now at panini.co.uk/englandstickers and retailers nationwide.
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