José Mourinho has declared that Jude Bellingham belongs among the leading contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or following another match-winning display for Real Madrid.
Mourinho: Bellingham is ‘absolutely incredible’ and firmly in Ballon d’Or race
The Real Madrid head coach watched his side cruise to a 4-0 victory over Málaga at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday, with the England midfielder at the heart of everything positive about the performance.
Bellingham broke the deadlock in the 19th minute with a stunning solo run, collecting the ball 35 yards out before dribbling past three defenders and finishing between the goalkeeper’s legs.
Seven minutes later, he forced an own goal from Málaga goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero after heading towards goal from close range.
The 23-year-old has now contributed two goals and two assists in Real Madrid’s opening three La Liga matches, helping Mourinho’s side maintain a perfect start to the season.
Speaking after the match, Mourinho did not hold back in his assessment of the midfielder’s credentials for football’s most prestigious individual honour.
“He is in the Ballon d’Or race,” the Portuguese coach told reporters.
“What he does as a midfielder is absolutely incredible.”
Mourinho also revealed that he has given Bellingham greater tactical freedom this season, moving away from the defensive responsibilities that limited his impact previously.
“I agreed with him that I didn’t want to see him as a second left-back defending,” Mourinho explained.
“We’ve organized the team differently; he knows what he has to do, and he feels comfortable.”
Bellingham’s resurgence has been striking after last season’s injury disruptions, when he missed around 100 days with shoulder and thigh problems. The change in his role under Mourinho has clearly paid dividends.
The Portuguese coach also acknowledged that Real Madrid possess more than one Ballon d’Or candidate, with Kylian Mbappé who scored his fourth league goal of the season against Málaga also firmly in the conversation.
“At Real Madrid there’s more than one player who can win the Ballon d’Or, but there’s Jude,” Mourinho said.
“Of course, there’s one who made history at the World Cup. But Jude, in midfield, is incredible.”
