- Bellingham scores in La Liga debut
- Helped Madrid beat Athletic Club 2-0
- Described victory as a 'dream evening'
WHAT HAPPENED? England midfielder Bellingham scored on his competitive Real Madrid debut as they beat Athletic Club 2-0 in their La Liga season opener on Saturday. The 20-year-old, who joined from Borussia Dortmund for €103 million (£88m/$110m) in June, dinked the ball over goalkeeper Unai Simon for Madrid's second of the night. Following the victory, which Rodrygo also scored in, Bellingham said it was a "dream evening". He also wished teammate Eder Militao a swift recovery after the Brazilian defender was forced off the pitch with a knee injury.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Bellingham, who was the Bundesliga's player of the season in 2022/23, appears to have hit the ground running at Madrid. The Spanish giants finished 10 points behind rivals Barcelona last term and Carlo Ancelotti's men will want to come out on top this time out. The England star will also likely help Madrid in their quest to regain the Champions League trophy after falling to eventual winners Man City last time out.
WHAT NEXT? Madrid return to league action on Saturday against Almeria.