Jude Bellingham was officially unveiled as a Real Madrid player on Thursday after completing his €103m move from Borussia Dortmund.
The England midfielder had been linked with a move to the Premier League but decided instead on La Liga and the 14-time European champions on a six-year contract.
During his press conference in the Spanish capital, Bellingham described his move as “the proudest day of my life”, talked about being given the number 5 shirt worn by Real legend Zinedine Zidane and why he chose Spain ahead of England.
Aged only 19, Bellingham will join a youthful Madrid squad that includes 22-year-old Brazil forwards Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, French internationals Eduardo Camavinga (20) and Aurelien Tchouameni (23), and Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde (24).
“Thank you everyone for joining me on the proudest day of my life,” said Bellingham at his unveiling.
“The day where I joined the greatest football club in the history of the game. There are a lot of people to thank for getting me to this point – Borussia Dortmund and Birmingham City, the people that worked there.
“Also the bosses here [at Real Madrid]; Mr President [Florentino Perez], Juni Calafat [scout], Jose Angel [chief executive].
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REAL MADRID'S MOST EXPENSIVE SIGNINGS (transfer figures from transfermarkt.com): 25) Angel Di Maria: €33m from Benfica. Real career (2010-2014) 194 games; 37 goals. AFP -
24) Nicolas Anelka: €35m from Arsenal. Real career (1999-2000) 31 games; seven goals. Getty -
23) Xabi Alonso: €34.5m from Liverpool. Real career (2009-2015) 236 games; six goals. AFP -
=18) Endrick: €35m from Palmeiras. Will join Madrid when he turns 18 in July 2024. Getty -
=18) Arjen Robben: €35m from Chelsea. Real career (2007-2009) 65 games; 13 goals. Getty -
=18) Karim Benzema: €35m from Lyon. Real career (2009-2023) 648 games; 354 goals. AP -
=18) Luka Modric: €35m from Tottenham Hotspur. Real career (2012-present) 488 games; 37 goals. AFP -
=18) Thibaut Courtois: €35m from Chelsea. Real career (2018-present) 230 games. EPA -
17) David Beckham: €37.5m from Manchester United. Real career (2002-2007): 155 games; 20 goals. AFP -
16) Mateo Kovacic: €38m from Inter Milan. Real career (2015-2019): 109 games; three goals. Getty -
=13) Ronaldo: €45m from Inter Milan. Real career (2002-2007): 177 games; 104 goals. AFP -
=13) Vinicius Junior: €45m from Flamengo. Real career (2017-present): 225 games; 59 goals. EPA -
=13) Rodrygo: €45m from Flamengo. Real career (2017-present): 225 games; 59 goals. EPA -
12) Ferland Mendy: €48m from Lyon. Real career (2019-present): 133 games; five goals. AFP -
11) Eder Militao: €50m from Porto. Real career (2019-present): 142 games; 11 goals. Getty -
10) Luis Figo: €75m from Barcelona. Real career (2000-2005): 245 games; 58 goals. Allsport -
9) Luka Jovic: €63m from Eintracht Frankfurt. Real career (2019-2022): 51 games; three goals. Reuters -
8) Kaka: €67m from AC Milan. Real career (2009-2013): 120 games; 29 goals. -
7) James Rodriguez: €75m from Monaco. Real career (2014-2020): 125 games; 37 goals. EPA -
6) Zinedine Zidane: €77.5m from Juventus. Real career (2001-2006): 214 games; 31 goals. Getty -
5) Aurelien Tchouameni: €80m from Monaco. Real career (2022-present): 95 games; eight goals. AFP -
4) Cristiano Ronaldo: €94m from Manchester United. Real career (2009-2018): 438 games; 450 goals. Getty -
3) Gareth Bale: €101m from Tottenham Hotspur. Real career (2013-2022): 258 games; 106 goals. Getty -
2) Jude Bellingham: €103.00m from Borussia Dortmund in 2023. PA -
1) Eden Hazard: €115.00m from Chelsea. Real career (2019-2023) 76 games; seven goals. AP
“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 will wear the shirt number made famous by fellow midfielder Zidane during the Frenchman's spell in Spain and the teenager is more than happy to take on the challenge. He takes over the shirt from Real defender Jesus Vallejo.
“I would like to thank Jesus Vallejo for letting me wear the number five,” Bellingham said. “I had some contact with him just to see if it was OK with him and he was a brilliant, brilliant guy, letting me wear it and just being so nice about it. I am very grateful to him.
“I have said in many interviews how much I admire Zinedene Zidane. The legacy within the club and this number. I am not trying to be the same as him, I am just trying to be Jude, but it is definitely a bit of a homage to how great he was.
“As far as [my previous number] 22 is concerned it is a number I have worn and is a number that has a lot of meaning to me. In my heart I am still a 22 but just wearing five on the back.
“We will see what happens in the future, but, right now, I am just happy to have been given the honour of wearing that number.”
A number of Premier League clubs – including Liverpool and treble-winning Manchester City – were linked with Bellingham, who left English side Birmingham City to join Dortmund in 2020.
But in the end, the lure of Carlo Ancelotti's Los Blancos team proved too great.
“Money is not a thing for me. I don't think about money at all when I make these kind of decisions. I never have, I never will. I play the game purely out of love,” said Bellingham, who has 24 England caps to his name.
“I spoke with the people when I was given permission by Borussia Dortmund. I loved the feeling I got from the club. I couldn't hide it, I told them more or less straight away what I felt about the club and after I made my decision I wanted it all to happen quickly.
“It wasn't a case of the other teams are bad or they weren't good, it is just that, for me, Madrid are the greatest.”
