Jude Bellingham has become the focal point of José Mourinho’s second Real Madrid spell, flourishing in a freer No. 10 role that keeps him closer to goal and reduces the defensive responsibilities that previously pulled him deep. Real Madrid opened the league season with three consecutive victories, with Bellingham contributing two goals and two assists across those matches.
The “OMG” reference in the headline should be treated cautiously. Available reporting confirms Bellingham’s importance to Mourinho and the manager’s enthusiastic praise, but it does not establish a verified direct quote in which Bellingham named himself—or any specific teammate—as the player who produces Mourinho’s biggest “OMG” reaction. The defensible story is that Mourinho has made Bellingham the central attacking midfielder in his 4-2-3-1 structure and sees him as essential to the new team.
Mourinho’s first league match back at Real Madrid ended in a difficult 2–1 victory over Espanyol. Bellingham opened the scoring in the ninth minute by heading in an Arda Güler free-kick, before Álex Calatrava equalised for the hosts. Substitute Carlos Espí then scored in the 90th minute to give Mourinho a winning return.
After the match, Mourinho explained why he sees Bellingham primarily as a player who must operate near the opposition penalty area. “For me this is his position, with his connection with the forwards, he can score goals,” Mourinho said. “He has to play close to the goal. Playing at No. 6 or No. 8, we’re losing his closeness to the goal.”
That emphasis was even more visible in Madrid’s 4–0 victory over Málaga. Bellingham scored the opening goal in the 19th minute and was again one of the standout performers, helping Mourinho record a third consecutive win at the beginning of his new tenure.
Mourinho has deliberately changed Bellingham’s defensive role. The manager said he did not want the England international “defending almost like a second left-back,” as he had sometimes done in the previous season. Instead, Mourinho has given him the freedom to work behind Kylian Mbappé, drift across the attack and use his physicality, timing and late runs into the box.
“He’s very demanding of himself and others, and I really like that,” Mourinho said after the Málaga victory. “At Real Madrid there’s more than one player who can win the Ballon d’Or, but there’s Jude. But Jude, in midfield, is incredible.”
Bellingham’s early form has validated the tactical shift. He has looked more dangerous when positioned close to Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, while Arda Güler’s ability to create from deeper or wider areas has helped provide the service Bellingham needs to attack the box. Mourinho has argued that elite players should be able to combine naturally because of their shared technical quality and speed of thought.
The early results do not remove every challenge facing Mourinho. He still has to manage a squad containing Mbappé, Vinícius, Güler, Trent Alexander-Arnold and other high-profile players, while balancing individual expectations with a more disciplined collective structure. But the opening weeks have made one point clear: Bellingham is not simply another talented option. He is the player Mourinho has chosen to build around.
