Jude Bellingham honoured at the Laureus World Sports Awards

Jude Bellingham is one of the best young talents in football right now.

In his home of Madrid, the English midfielder has been recognised for his breakthrough on the world stage at the Laureus World Sports Awards on Monday (22 April).

The 20-year-old was presented with the World Breakthrough of the Year Award, becoming the first football player to win it.

Midlands-born Bellingham has taken the Spanish capital by storm after signing for Real last summer, currently topping the La Liga table and into the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

10 goals in his first 10 starts for Los Blancos set the precedent for his inaugural season in white, with his rise to senior stardom beginning five years ago.

After spending nine years in the Birmingham City Academy, he made his breakthrough in the 2019/20 campaign becoming the club’s youngest first-team player at just 16.

Bellingham’s talent was undeniable and within his first senior season, there were a number of big clubs looking to secure his signature, with Borussia Dortmund eventually obtaining his services.

His impact for the Blues was so significant that his no.22 shirt was retired upon his departure.

Three years at Dortmund would see the German club lift the DFB-Pokal in Jude’s initial campaign, with a plethora of individual awards to follow.

In 2023, Real Madrid announced they were bringing the Englishman to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Bellingham has comfortably settled into the ‘Galactico’ role and is on course to help the Madristas win a double in his first year in Spain.