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Topics: Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid, Champions League, Liverpool, Football, Anfield
Luke Davies
Topics: Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid, Champions League, Liverpool, Football, Anfield
Jude Bellingham has made Champions League history for Real Madrid against Liverpool at Anfield.
Heading into Liverpool’s Champions League league phase clash against the 15-time European champions, all eyes were on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s return to his home city and boyhood club.
But due to him recently returning to the squad after sustaining a hamstring injury against Marseille back in March, head coach Xabi Alonso chose to start the Liverpudlian on the bench with usual midfielder Fede Valverde taking up the right-back position.
Meanwhile, there were several players with connections to England and the Premier League included in Alonso’s starting XI.
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Former two-time Premier League-winning goalkeeper with Chelsea, Thibaut Courtois, started between the sticks while summer signing from Bournemouth, Dean Huijsen, partnered Brazilian Eder Militao at centre-back.
Left-back Alvaro Carreras, who signed for Real from Benfica in the summer, previously represented Manchester United at youth level as well as enjoying a loan spell at Preston North End during the 2022/23 season.
Of course, attacking superstars Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior were also in from the start on Merseyside, while England international Bellingham got the nod from Alonso, having recently scored the winner against Barcelona in El Clásico, as well as netting in the 4-0 win over Valencia in La Liga last week.
And as soon as the European clash between Liverpool and Real Madrid started on Tuesday evening, the 22-year-old made history by becoming the youngest player to reach 50 Champions League appearances at just 22 years and 128 days, beating the previous record of 22 years and 155 days set by former Los Blancos and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
Third on the list is former Chelsea, Barcelona and Arsenal midfielder turned Como head coach Cesc Fabregas, who made his 50th Champions League appearance at 22 years and 331 days old, while Mbappe (22 years and 339 days) and Lionel Messi (23 years and 166 days) make up the top five.
As you may have guessed, this is not the first record broken by Bellingham, as he previously became Birmingham City’s youngest-ever debutant at the age of 16 years and 38 days, breaking Trevor Francis’ record before also becoming the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer at 16 years and 63 days when he netted in a 2-1 win over Stoke City in 2019.
Meanwhile, Bellingham also remains the youngest Englishman to have started a Champions League game, which he achieved when he made his debut in the competition for Borussia Dortmund against Lazio at the age of 17 years and 113 days old back in 2020.