Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham has been honored as La Liga’s Player of the Season in his debut year in Spain.
Bellingham, 20, netted 19 goals in the league, playing a pivotal role in helping Real Madrid secure the title with a 10-point lead.
The Stourbridge-born player also contributed significantly in the Champions League, scoring four goals as Carlo Ancelotti’s squad advanced to the final. They are set to face Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on Saturday at 20:00 BST.
Bellingham triumphed over teammates Vinicius Jr, Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Artem Dovbyk (Girona), and Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) in votes cast by fans, club captains, and a panel of experts.
Prior to his move to Real Madrid for an initial fee of 103 million euros (£88.5 million), Bellingham was awarded the 2022-23 Bundesliga Player of the Season while playing for Dortmund.
In a message, Bellingham said, “I would like to dedicate it to my team-mates, the coaching staff and, most importantly, to the fans of the best club in the world. It’s a pleasure every time I play for this team. Hala Madrid.” He was unable to attend Tuesday’s ceremony due to preparations for Saturday’s final.
Bellingham has earned 29 caps for England, scoring three goals for his country. He is anticipated to play a key role for Gareth Southgate’s team at Euro 2024 in Germany, beginning on June 14. England’s first match is against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on June 16.
