Jude Bellingham has a midfielder's 'soul' but Xabi Alonso is counting on his 'great quality' in front of goal as new Real Madrid coach gives verdict on England star

New Madrid manager Alonso explained how he intends to use Bellingham in his system, suggesting that the Englishman has the "soul" of a midfielder. Although it's not yet clear what formation the Spaniard will use with Madrid, he made it clear that Bellingham's quality in front of goal will be exploited.

Bellingham had a stunning debut season for Los Blancos in 2023-24, scoring 23 goals in 42 games as ex-coach Carlo Ancelotti deployed the midfielder in a false nine role. In his second season, his goal-scoring numbers dipped significantly, netting 14 times in 52 games as Madrid failed to secure either of the three major trophies.

At his presentation, Alonso said he would try to make Bellingham "as efficient as possible", but the former Bayer Leverkusenhas now elaborated that he hopes to use the midfielder's unmatched quality to find himself in good goal-scoring positions.

Speaking ahead of Madrid's Club World Cup opener at a presser, Alonso explained: “Jude has the ability to cover a lot of ground. He has the soul of a midfielder, he likes to be involved, but he has the great quality to finish. The important thing is the starting point. Finding him in the right places will help us because he has impressive qualities.”

The English international will be expected to start under Alonso in what will be his managerial debut with Madrid on Wednesday against Al-Hilal. After the Club World Cup ends, Bellingham is believed to undergo surgery on his injured left shoulder, a problem that has persisted since late 2023. He will miss the first two-to-three months of the 2025-26 season.