"The greatest ever" - Jude Bellingham sends message to Real Madrid legend as they link up for EA FC 25 launch

Real Madrid midielder Jude Bellingham has heaped praise on club legend Zinedine Zidane ahead of the EA FC 25 launch. The Frenchman achieved huge success at the Santiago Bernabeu, both as player and head coach.

The 1998 Ballon d'Or winner won a La Liga and UEFA Champions League title in five seasons at the club in the early 2000s, with Bellingham matching that haul in his lone season since arriving from Borussia Dortmund last summer.

Zidane, though, achieved even greater success from the touchline, winning 11 titles across two stints, including an unprecedented Champions League three-peat and two La Liga titles.

The Frenchman and Bellingham were together in the aforementioned launch, where the latter posted an image of the pair together on Instagram on Friday (September 27) and captioning it (as tweeted by Madrid Xtra):

"The greatest ever"

Bellingham, 21, has missed four games this season due to a muscle injury but returned during the 4-1 La Liga win over Espanyol last weekend. The Euro 2024 finalist notched up his first goal contribution of the league season in the 3-2 midweek home win over Alaves.

---

"I ask Jude Bellingham to do that kind of work" - Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti on Englishman's role in team

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has had a slow start to the season.

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham is coming off a superb debut season in 2023-24, registering 23 goals and 13 assists in 42 games across competitions, winning three titles, including the La Liga and UEFA Champions League double.

However, with the arrival of attackers Kylian Mbappe and Endrick this summer, Bellingham has had a shift in his role, with more focus on playmaking than scoring, evident in his numbers in his two assists in five games across competitions.

Following the Alaves win, head coach Carlo Ancelotti said about Bellingham's role (as per Managing Madrid):

“He’s growing. He gave the assist to Mbappe. He played a very complete game. He needs to get used to it a bit more in the box, like last year. It’s more complicated against a team with a low block like Alaves. I ask Bellingham to do that kind of work, not to score goals. We can score at any time.”

Los Blancos next take on Atletico Madrid away in La Liga on Sunday (September 29). It's pertinent to note that Diego Simeone's side handed their cross-town rivals their last league defeat, a 3-1 verdict at the Wanda Metropolitano just over a year ago.