Jude Bellingham Is Real Madrid’s Most Reliable Attacker — Why Mourinho Should Be Worried

Jude Bellingham Emerges as Real Madrid’s Most  Reliable Attacker

Real Madrid possess two of the best players in the sport in attack; Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. However, the Spanish newspaper, Marca claims that the most reliable forward for the team this season is none other than Jude Bellingham from the midfield. Jude Bellingham's Real Madrid performances have made him one of the team’s most reliable attacking threats this season.

In eight games, Bellingham has managed to score three goals and provide two assists and win back possession 52 times. Mbappé has scored eight goals in eight games, so this is clearly not a case of a forward player whose scoring ability has dried up. However, Vinicius has only scored one goal and assisted three times.

Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of Real Madrid’s most reliable attacking threats.

How Bellingham’s Number 10 Role Is Reviving His Goal Threat

Manager José Mourinho plays one striker, three attackers behind him and two midfielders in front of the defence, a setup fans call 4-2-3-1. Bellingham is the middle attacker, the "number 10". His job is to find gaps between the other team's midfield and defence, then run into the penalty area late, when defenders have stopped watching him. That is how he scored 23 goals in his first Madrid season.

Bellingham’s movement into the penalty area makes him a dangerous attacking midfielder.

It is working again. He was involved in four goals in Madrid's first three league games, which Opta says no Madrid player had done since Bellingham himself in 2023. Against Atlético Madrid he was Madrid's best player until Dean Huijsen was sent off. For England, he scored once and set up three in a 7-0 win over Croatia.

Mourinho has built a great attack before. His 2011-12 Madrid team won La Liga with 100 points and 121 goals, both records, and Cristiano Ronaldo scored 46 of them. That team worked because every player had a clear job built around Ronaldo. The striker made space for him. Ángel Di María kept the team wide on the right. Mesut Özil created chances, with 19 league assists, behind only Lionel Messi. Sami Khedira ran forward, then back to defend.

Mbappé and Vinícius Create a Tactical Problem for Real Madrid

Today's Madrid has a problem that team never had: two stars who want the same space. Mbappé often drifts to the left, where Vinícius already plays. After the Atlético game, the French paper L'Équipe found the two standing in the same area for much of the first half. Vinícius had 22 touches of the ball, the fewest in the team. On the right, Arda Güler and Brahim Díaz tend to move inside instead of staying wide. That puts a lot on Bellingham, who is asked to create chances like Özil did and to run and cover like Khedira did.

Mbappé and Vinícius must find the right balance to create more space for Bellingham.

So is Bellingham free, or is he cleaning up after the forwards? A bit of both. The role suits him. But a player who runs into the box late needs space, and that space appears when teammates pull defenders away or stretch the pitch. With Mbappé often off the middle and little danger on the right, opponents can pack the centre, and Bellingham's runs meet a crowd. The website Goal says his numbers dropped after his first season as his midfield duties grew.

There is another risk. AS reports that Mourinho's staff want a midfielder to cover the left so Vinícius can stop dropping back. If that midfielder is Bellingham, his freedom is gone. It should be one of the two midfielders who sit in front of the defence.

How Mourinho Can Free Bellingham and Fix Madrid’s Attack

Ronaldo's Madrid never had to ask who owned the left side. Madrid should settle it. The best answer keeps the same shape and sharpens each player's job.

Mbappé should play mainly in the middle: stay close to defenders, lead the chase when Madrid lose the ball, and finish chances. Vinícius keeps the left edge, where he is most dangerous one-on-one, with less defending to do. If they swap sides, they do it on purpose, never both in the same spot.

The two midfielders in front of the defence then cover the left. They should be the same two every week, but Mourinho has used four different pairs in eight games. Valverde and Bernardo Silva won all three games they started together. On the right, new signing Yan Diomande beat defenders four times after coming off the bench against Atlético. He can stretch the defence wide, which leaves more room in the middle for Bellingham.

Real Madrid’s Tactical Gamble Ahead of El Clásico

There are costs. Asking Mbappé to stay central is a gamble when he has scored eight goals in eight games playing as he does now. If Vinícius defends less, left-back Marc Cucurella has more to protect, and he already looked exposed at Atlético. A back three with Mbappé and Vinícius up front is a backup option, but it would push Bellingham deeper, away from goal, which is not where he is best.

No change of shape can fix personal problems, if there are any, or beat Barcelona on its own. They have won all seven league games, Madrid play them on 25 October, and Mbappé's knee is still a doubt. One test will show if Mourinho has it right: if Bellingham wins the ball back less often and touches it in the opposition's box more often, the plan is working.