Bellingham drives Real Madrid past Malaga with goal and key role in 2-0

Jude Bellingham made it clear once again that his best version has returned. The English midfielder put Real Madrid ahead against Malaga with a superb goal and played a decisive role in the 2-0 that put the game on track, underlining the excellent form he has shown at the start of the La Liga season.

• Bellingham scored the 1-0 and was directly involved in the 2-0 against Malaga.
• He has two goals and two assists in the first three La Liga matchdays.
• His form is reminiscent of the 2023-24 season, when he was crucial to Real Madrid's double.
• Mourinho called him a unique and absolutely impressive player before the match.
• The attacking midfield role in the 4-2-3-1 allows him to play closer to the box and exploit his shooting and vision.

A fine goal to break the deadlock against Malaga

Real Madrid needed a goal to take control of the game and Bellingham delivered with a first-class finish. The Englishman produced the 1-0 with a strike that left the Malaga goalkeeper with no chance and gave his team the lead at a moment when the match demanded a player capable of making the difference.

That was not his only decisive action of the night. In the build-up to the 2-0, Bellingham directed a header that Alfonso Herrero cleared almost off the goal line, but the rebound was pushed into the net by Puga. The move highlighted the Madrid player's persistence in the box and his ability to create danger from deep.

Bellingham's resurgence after overcoming injuries

This start to the season stands in contrast to the previous two campaigns, when physical problems slowed his progress. Discomfort in his left shoulder, which eventually required surgery, and several muscular issues prevented him from maintaining the level he showed in his first year at the club. He now looks free and displays the physical power that defines him.

The World Cup marked a turning point for the player. Since then, Bellingham has managed to carry that momentum into the beginning of the season with Real Madrid and has become one of the biggest boosts of the new project led by Mourinho, even though he is not a new signing in the traditional sense.

The attacking midfield role driving Jude in Mourinho's system

Much of the explanation for his spectacular performances lies in his positioning. The Portuguese coach has opted for a 4-2-3-1 in which Bellingham operates behind Vinicius and Mbappé, close to the area and with freedom of movement in the final third. From there he exploits his shooting, his driving runs and his reading of the game.

That role allows him to appear more often in finishing areas and to link up with the two attackers, which increases his offensive impact without losing his ability to press and win the ball back. The balance between attacking threat and tactical work makes the Englishman difficult for any defense to track.

Numbers that recall his historic double-winning season

His current output evokes the 2023-24 campaign, when he was instrumental in helping Real Madrid win La Liga and the Champions League. He finished that season with 23 goals and 13 assists, second only to Vinicius as the team's top scorer with 24 goals.

In the 2024-25 season his numbers dropped to 15 goals and 12 assists. Last year the decline was even sharper: eight goals and four assists. Those are precisely the figures Bellingham could match by the end of September if he keeps up his current pace, a clear sign of the leap he has made at the start of this league campaign.

Mourinho praises the midfielder's current form

The Real Madrid coach did not hold back in praising his player before the match against Malaga. Mourinho highlighted Bellingham's uniqueness and described him as an absolutely impressive footballer because of his combination of physical, mental and tactical qualities.

He is a unique player and incredibly important for the team. He has different talents, from the physical to the mental and the tactical. He also has the ability to recover balls, to press and to score, and his aerial game is excellent. He is an absolutely impressive player.

The coach also emphasized his ability to win back possession, press and attack the ball in the air, a blend that makes him a constant threat in both boxes. With Vinicius and Mbappé alongside him, the attacking trio is carrying the team through the opening weeks of the season.