Jude Bellingham has been officially unveiled as a Real Madrid player following his €103 million, six-year contract signing from Borussia Dortmund.
Bellingham, in his first press conference as a Real Madrid player, thanked everyone who helped him get to where he is today.
“There are many people at Borussia Dortmund and Birmingham City who should be thanked for bringing me this far.
“Also in charge here (at Real Madrid) are Mr. President (Florentino Perez), scout Juni Calafat, and CEO Jose Angel.
“Of course, most importantly, my family for all of the support and making the deal as easy as possible, so thank you very much, and finally, Hala Madrid.”
Bellingham, who will wear the number 5, the same as Zinedine Zidane, acknowledged the monumental burden that comes with the shirt number.
“I asked him if he cared, and he’s a really nice guy.” I have a lot of respect for Zidane, and his number inspires me. I don’t want to be like him since I’m unique, but I’m thrilled to be wearing this number. It’s a privilege.”
“The shirt is a huge responsibility on its own. I’ve always liked Zidane as a player, and he’s always been my favorite. I’d like to add to the number’s legacy.”
The England international joined Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham City in 2020 and went on to make 132 appearances for the Bundesliga club, scoring 24 goals and dishing out 25 assists.
The 19-year-old is the most expensive British footballer ever, with a £103 million transfer fee that could increase to £110 million.
