Real Madrid’s Bellingham and Haaland Triumph at Ballon d’Or 2023

Jude Bellingham, the talented midfielder from Real Madrid, has made history by becoming the first Englishman to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or Kopa Trophy. The award, which recognizes the best player under the age of 21, was presented to Bellingham at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday.

Bellingham faced tough competition from other young stars such as Gavi, Pedri, Alejandro Balde, Jamal Musiala, and Rasmus Hojlund. However, it was the Madrid and England sensation who emerged victorious after an outstanding year.

Since joining Madrid from Borussia Dortmund in a £88.5m move this summer, Bellingham has made an immediate impact. He has scored an impressive 13 goals in his first 13 appearances for Los Blancos, including goals in all three Champions League games he has played.

In the league, Bellingham has been equally prolific, finding the back of the net 10 times in just 10 appearances. His performances have included three braces and a dramatic 95th-minute winner on his home debut at the Bernabeu against Getafe.

One of Bellingham’s standout moments came in the highly anticipated El Clasico against Barcelona. Despite falling behind, the 20-year-old scored a stunning long-range goal to equalize before securing a 2-1 comeback victory for Madrid in the 92nd minute.

Bellingham’s success extends to the international stage as well. He scored for England against Iran at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, marking his first appearance in the tournament.

Last season, Bellingham’s contributions of 14 goals and seven assists for Borussia Dortmund caught the attention of Madrid, who were impressed by his performances despite narrowly missing out on the Bundesliga title to Bayern Munich.

In his acceptance speech, Bellingham expressed his gratitude to everyone who supported him throughout his journey, including Birmingham City, Dortmund, Madrid, the national team, and his family. He also spoke about his positive experience at Madrid, where he has been welcomed by his teammates and the staff.

Bellingham acknowledged the prestigious list of previous winners, including Kylian Mbappe and Gavi, and emphasized that while winning individual awards is an honor, his main focus is on achieving team success and winning trophies with Madrid.

Other notable awards at the ceremony included Real Madrid striker Vinicius Jr. receiving the Socrates prize for his charity and social activism work, Barcelona being awarded the Women’s Team of the Year, Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez winning the Lev Yashin trophy for his World Cup performances, and Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland claiming the Gerd Muller trophy for his outstanding season.

Haaland expressed his gratitude to Manchester City and his teammates for their support in helping him become the player he is today.