Former Real Madrid player says Jude Bellingham has made a bigger impact than the three club legends
Former Real Madrid player Steve McManaman believes that Jude Bellingham has had a greater impact on the team compared to the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario and Luis Figo.
Bellingham arrived at the Bernabeu from Borussia Dortmund for an initial £88m last summer, and has hit the ground running.
The Englishman played well in his first campaign scoring 17 goals in La Liga, and Los Blancos are on course to regain the league title.
Has Bellingham made a bigger impact than Madrid legends?
McManaman himself made 158 appearances for Madrid in all competitions and won the Champions League with the Spanish giants, has praised the 20-year-old.
The 52-year-old bravely revealed that Bellingham had a bigger influence in the dressing room than Figo, Zidane and Brazil’s Ronaldo when they first joined the club.
“Luis Figo came into the dressing room,” said McManaman TNT Sports.
“R9 [Ronaldo Nazario], ‘El Phenomeno’ entered the dressing room. Zizou [Zinedine Zidane] he entered the dressing room.
“No one has had an impact like him [Bellingham] and do it at 20 years old. It’s amazing.”
McManaman added: “His form all year has been exceptional, exceptional.
“He joined Real Madrid for a huge fee at the beginning of the year at the age of 19. This was a year of change for Real Madrid because Karim Benzema went, of course Eden Hazard. [Marcos] The Ascensiono.
“Jude Bellingham came in as the No. 1 player. And a few other signatures around. But he was. That he was taken in this role as he did.
“Scoring two goals in the Clasicos, winning the Super Copa, winning La Liga, advancing to the league and now the semi-finals of the Champions League are all on his shoulders. What an absolute star.”
The former Madrid man was speaking in the build-up to the Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich which ended 2-2, with Bellingham coming off after 60 minutes with cramps.
