Bellingham

Jude Bellingham’s 87th minute equaliser rescued Real Madrid from defeat at Elche as Los Blancos return to top of ladder.

Jude Bellingham struck late on to secure Real Madrid a 2-2 draw at Elche on Sunday, taking his team top of La Liga by a point.

Xabi Alonso’s side struggled against their mid-table opponents in an entertaining battle in which Madrid twice came from behind.

Aleix Febas fired the hosts ahead before Dean Huijsen levelled for the league leaders, with Bellingham stabbing home from close range after Alvaro Rodriguez blasted Elche back in front.

Barcelona cut Madrid’s lead by two points over the weekend after they thrashed Athletic Bilbao 4-0 on Saturday in their first match back at Camp Nou.

Alonso afforded Rodrygo Goes a rare start as part of the attack, while benching Vinicius Junior. The coach also gave Trent Alexander-Arnold his first start since August.

The England international missed several weeks injured and is yet to find form following his summer switch from Liverpool.

Alexander-Arnold was also partly to blame for Febas’s goal, with the midfielder sneaking in behind him to break the deadlock in the second half.

Elche sets the tone

Elche impressed against Barcelona a few weeks ago and gave Madrid a tough night at the Martinez Valero stadium.

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a fine early save to deny Andre da Silva after Hector Fort teed him up.

The forward was involved in an unfortunate incident earlier in the day at Real Madrid’s annual general meeting, when Los Blancos displayed his photograph by accident in a tribute to former Liverpool striker Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who both died in a car crash in July.

Former Barca goalkeeper Inaki Pena denied Kylian Mbappe after the French forward broke through on goal and then stopped the French superstar’s volley in Madrid’s best chance of the first half.

Elche stunned Madrid early in the second half with a slick move to take the lead.

German Valera’s superb backheel allowed Febas to dart behind Alexander-Arnold and squeeze a shot across the goal, past Courtois and in off the post.

Alonso responded by sending on Vinicius Jr and then young striker Gonzalo Garcia. Alexander-Arnold earned some redemption with his contribution to Madrid’s equaliser.

His cross was deflected against his own crossbar by a defender and behind for a corner. Alexander-Arnold whipped it in and Bellingham flicked it on into Huijsen’s path to bash home.

Elche took the lead again when Rodriguez caught out Courtois with a powerful drive from the edge of the box.

However, three minutes later Madrid equalised for a second time, with Mbappe only just keeping the ball in for Bellingham to convert from point-blank range.

The England midfielder was in the spotlight back home earlier in the week after he was unhappy to be taken off by national team coach Thomas Tuchel.

Bellingham was not at his best against Elche but was involved in both Madrid goals, highlighting his game-changing ability in the box even when otherwise quiet.

Bellingham has scored 41 goals in 111 appearances for Real Madrid since joining two years ago, playing a key role in a side which has won La Liga and the Uefa Champions League.

He flourished under the leadership of Carlo Ancelotti, renowned for his ability to handle the personalities in Los Blancos’ squad, but like his team-mates has found things more difficult under new manager Xabi Alonso this season.

“He has a great reputation in Madrid,” said Jesus Bengoechea, a writer for Real Madrid fan media outlet La Galerna.

“The fans love him, not only for his technical quality but his commitment to the team. He comes across as somebody who is really dedicated to the shirt and what it represents.

“He plays a very influential role in the dressing room – he is one of the players who has stepped up after players like Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema left. It surprises a lot of people that he is not more acclaimed in England.

“Lately there have been some rumours about him being not so disciplined in some ways, certain things about the level of intense work Alonso is asking the players to do. But we haven’t seen that on the pitch and I find it hard to believe.

“Alonso is like Tuchel, both quite cold characters and very tactical. I think it is a matter of personalities that don’t gel.”

Jude Bellingham was named on the bench for England’s World Cup qualifier against Serbia on Thursday, with Morgan Rogers in the number 10 role.

Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, 20, will make his senior international debut at left-back while Marcus Rashford plays in attack.

Bellingham, 22, has missed the past four internationals – partly due to a shoulder injury – but was recalled to the squad for this week’s games against Serbia and Albania, with England having already qualified for next summer’s tournament.

England manager Thomas Tuchel told the BBC on Wednesday that Aston Villa midfielder Rogers was carrying a slight hamstring issue and would require a late fitness check.

Rogers has excelled in deputising for Real Madrid’s Bellingham and Tuchel faces a clear selection dilemma before the World Cup next year.

O’Reilly makes his full England debut following an impressive start to the season with City.

Reece James, Ezri Konsa and John Stones join O’Reilly in defence.

Barcelona forward Rashford replaces the injured Anthony Gordon in attack.

Declan Rice and Elliott Anderson continue in midfield alongside Rogers while Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane get the nod in attack.

Jordan Pickford retains his place in goal.

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel’s selections suggest Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, who is on loan at Barcelona, and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively, with Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon, Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze and West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen next in line.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England’s seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate’s side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played alongside each other, England have won 10, drawn three and lost three, scoring 36 times and conceding 14. Of those 36 goals, Kane scored 14, Bellingham three and Foden two.

However, since Tuchel came in, the only time all three have played together was in the opening 74 minutes of his first game. Foden was substituted at 1-0 in a 2-0 win over Albania.

Tuchel is not the first England manager to have to juggle his side around to fit the best players in, with Sven-Goran Eriksson constantly trying to find the right balance in midfield.

Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes won the Champions League during their careers in central midfield for Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United respectively from the late 1990s to early 2010s.

They are regarded as three of England’s best midfielders, with Gerrard winning 114 caps, Lampard 106 and Scholes 66. However, they played in the same England side only eight times, with Scholes often moved to the left to accommodate Gerrard and Lampard in the middle.

England’s games against Serbia and Albania – which conclude their World Cup qualifiers – may be dead rubbers, with qualification secured, but they are highly significant when it comes to deciding who plays in that key area when the tournament starts.

Rogers revealed the extent of his friendship with Bellingham when he said: “I don’t remember it, but apparently he came to my fifth birthday party.”

They are often seen together on England duty and Rogers has said previously: “It made it even sweeter, sharing the pitch with him again. It’s so nice, knowing I can share these moments with him and that he feels happy and proud as well.

“My mum knows his parents quite well, to do with work and stuff. We have always been around each other, playing against each other in the academies.

“Being in the first under-15 camp together, both being from Birmingham, we kind of stuck to each other.

“We grew up probably five minutes away from each other. We have kind of been rivals, me as West Brom and him at Birmingham City.”

Bellingham and Rogers have been pitted against each other in the fight for a place, along with Foden, but it is still a heartwarming story of how two boys, born in Stourbridge and Halesowen respectively, have taken the journey to such prominence and importance.

Rogers took the more scenic route to the top, starting at West Bromwich Albion, before moving to Manchester City, where he had loan spells at Lincoln City, Bournemouth and Blackpool before joining Middlesbrough in July 2023.

He impressed so much on Teesside that Villa manager Unai Emery made it his personal business to sign Rogers, clinching a deal on 1 February 2024, for a reported £8m – potentially rising to £15m.

Such has been his progress at Villa, that when Chelsea were linked with a move in the summer, Rogers was regarded as a player who could potentially be placed in the £100m bracket.

Bellingham’s journey has been more direct, from his beloved Birmingham City to Borussia Dortmund then Real Madrid – where he claimed the major prizes of La Liga and the Champions League in his first season.

Now they have their sights set on arriving together at next summer’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States – but who will wear England’s treasured number 10 shirt?