Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham finally ended his goal drought in the 2025/26 season by scoring the decisive goal in the 1-0 win against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League.
For months, the Englishman had been searching for his rhythm after undergoing shoulder surgery, and this moment felt like a much-needed resurgence.
His last goal came on June 22, against Pachuca in the Club World Cup, marking a long four-month wait to find the back of the net again.
Celebrating goal with relief and pride
Speaking after the game, Bellingham couldn’t hide his joy. The midfielder described what it meant to finally score again, especially in a major European fixture:
“It’s an incredible feeling. It had been a long time since I last scored. I dream of that moment in the Champions League against a big team and scoring the winning goal,” Bellingham said on CBS radio as quoted by MARCA.
“It’s incredible. Here at home, obviously, in my first start of the season, I felt very comfortable, I felt very good, and I enjoyed it a lot, to be honest.
“Playing well is important, but scoring the winning goal also helps the team a lot. I’m very happy. It’s a great night.”
Reflection on last season
When asked to look back on his previous campaign, Bellingham showed maturity and self-awareness.
Rather than ignoring the criticism that followed his inconsistent performances, he addressed it head-on:
“I think in the first year we played with several different formations with Carlo. He likes to be adaptable in his style of play and in the way he moves players around.
“I don’t know what changed from the first year to the second. I think if I take the time to think about it, I’m sure I can come up with ideas about where I played and my own performance.
“I didn’t think last year was a disaster, far from it. I think I still scored 15 goals, provided 14 assists, and had a lot of good moments. I know the general feeling was that it was worse.”
Bellingham scored his first goal of the 2025/26 season against Juventus. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Bellingham also didn’t shy away from admitting that Real Madrid, collectively and individually, had fallen below their own expectations at times.
Yet, his comments revealed a player determined to learn from setbacks. “I was also involved in that, in terms of how we didn’t play so well last year.
“Even so, there were good moments, but not at the level I want to play. I’m not at the same level as I was in my first year.
“I had shoulder surgery. I have a new coach. He has a certain way of how we want to play.
“There will be years when you play well, don’t win at all, don’t play well, and then you don’t get that touch that we maybe had in the first year. You have to learn from it.”
Rediscovering belief and Real Madrid’s winning spirit
After his goal against Juventus, Bellingham also touched upon something deeper, which is Real Madrid’s ability to believe, to win even when not at their best.
When asked if the team had regained that mentality, he replied confidently, “It’s very important. One of the differences between last year and the first year was that we had that.
“Even when we didn’t play very well, in some of the latter stages of the Champions League, we managed to find a way to win.”
Finally, the Englishman ended on a determined note, acknowledging that Real Madrid still have areas to improve but should use this victory as a launchpad for the season ahead:
“Last year, we didn’t do that. If we played badly, we were punished. It was bad. Today we allowed chances.
“The important thing is that we kept a clean sheet and we only needed one to win. Of course, from now on, we want to play better and score more.
“But we have to use this as a starting point,” he concluded.