Jude Bellingham admitted he was “very sad for a long time” as he worked to recover from a hamstring injury, following his Real Madrid return in the team’s 3-2 LaLiga win over Atlético Madrid on Sunday.
The midfielder was introduced as a second-half substitute in the dramatic derby clash at the Bernabéu — making his first appearance since Feb. 1 — and has been called up by Thomas Tuchel to the England squad for this international break.
Injuries have restricted Bellingham to just 15 starts in LaLiga this season, as he first recovered from summer shoulder surgery which kept him out until mid-September, and then picked up a thigh problem ten minutes into a league game with Rayo Vallecano last month.
“[My recovery] was very long,” Bellingham, speaking in Spanish, told Real Madrid TV. “Seven weeks. Long, and tough. I was really sad for a long time, but now I’m happy because I’m back training with my teammates.”
The England international had a stellar debut season at Madrid, scoring 19 league goals in 2023-24, but hasn’t managed to hit those same heights in the two subsequent campaigns, netting four times in LaLiga so far in 2025-26.
Madrid have had a difficult campaign, with coach Xabi Alonso being sacked in January and replaced by Álvaro Arbeloa, but results have improved in recent weeks, eliminating Manchester City in the Champions League round of 16, and now beating Atlético in the derby.
“The team is playing incredibly right now, defending well and attacking well, especially in the last two or three games,” Bellingham said. “The fans on these nights are always amazing. This atmosphere helps us a lot, and that’s why the team makes such an effort. Especially in derbies, or against City, all the players really feel the fans’ support.”
Bellingham praised in-form teammates Vinícius Júnior and Fede Valverde, who both scored against Atlético, having also contributed goals in the two legs with City.
– Vinícius Júnior ‘not far off’ career best in Madrid derby win
– Barcelona to host Real Madrid in key Clásico clash on May 10
“In the bad moments those two always find a way to raise their level to help the team,” Bellingham said.
“The times we had a lot of injuries, they’ve always helped the team. Fede is a great example of that attitude, and Vini is an example of how to bounce back from a tough moment. What they’re doing at the moment is incredible.”
