Real Madrid's 23-year-old superstar Jude Bellingham has opened up about his childhood lack of interest in football in his younger days in Stourbridge and the mental health struggles he experienced at times last season, after helping the club secure a Champions League and La Liga double in his debut campaign in Spain.
Childhood Avoidance of the Pitch
Bellingham said that when football first appeared he wasn’t interested and only started to get interested when his brother wanted to play. He initially actively avoided the pitch during his younger days in Stourbridge. "In as soon as football appeared, I wasn’t interested. I didn't want to be kicked, I didn't want to kick anyone; I just wanted to be left alone. I started to get interested when my brother wanted to play," Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham told Vogue magazine as quoted by Cadena SER.
Path to Real Madrid
A late interest in football led Bellingham to Birmingham City’s academy. Bellingham moved from Birmingham City’s academy to Borussia Dortmund and eventually to Real Madrid. In his debut season in Spain Bellingham helped Real Madrid secure a Champions League and La Liga double.
Mental Health Pressures Last Season
Bellingham said that, at times last season, he felt completely consumed, very tense and stressed, and that he started talking to someone who helped him with how to manage those kinds of situations. "I felt like, at times, last season completely consumed me and made me very tense and stressed. I started talking to someone who helped me a lot with that and with how to manage those kinds of situations," Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham said.
Views on Fans, Maturity and Role
Bellingham said he prefers fans to see him as a human being first rather than idealise players. "I think that sometimes fans idealize players and I don't want them to see me like that. I prefer they see me as a human being first," he said. Bellingham said he feels mature on the football field but does not feel that mature in life and that he does not know how to cook or drive. "I feel mature in the football field, but, to be honest, in life I don't feel that mature. I don't know how to cook, I don't know how to drive..." Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham said. Bellingham said he views the next generation looking up to him as a privilege and that off the pitch he wants to be a gentleman. "Whether you like it or not, the next generation looks up to you. I prefer to see it as a privilege. I have always said that, off the pitch, I want to be a gentleman," Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham said.
