Back in October, as Lionel Messi collected the eighth Ballon d'Or of his illustrious career, there was a feeling that the 2024 winner was already known. Jude Bellingham had spent his first three months at Real Madrid ripping up the club's record-books, with some of Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo's early numbers already eclipsed. There was a school of thought - and genuine belief to come with it - that Bellingham could find the net 40 times in his debut campaign in Madrid.
And even if he didn't hit that mark, the calibre of his performances were something to behold. He weaved through defenders at the Diego Maradona Stadium to beat Napoli. He scored twice to beat Barcelona in his first Clasico. Girona, Union Berlin and others were all taken down on the strength of Bellingham's virtuosic showings alone.
Since then, though, things have rather slowed up for the England midfielder. Goals have become fewer and farther between, while injuries and suspensions have impacted what looked set to be a record-breaking campaign.
Still, Bellingham remains the front-runner for football's biggest individual prize, and now, he has the chance to reaffirm that status. The next few months will be the ultimate test of his quality, with Euro 2024 just around the corner. First, though, he will have to prove his worth by leading Madrid past tournament-favourites Manchester City in the Champions League.
