Jude Bellingham has had his injury problems since joining Real Madrid, and the latest injury recently came to an end. His performance in the Madrid derby at the weekend ended a seven-week absence caused by a hamstring injury, and although he admitted that he struggled mentally during this period, it was not the toughest time of his time at the Bernabéu.
Back in November, just months after he started his Real Madrid career, Bellingham suffered a shoulder dislocation during a match against Rayo Vallecano. He missed just a couple of weeks of play at the time, but it eventually led to him undergoing surgery almost two years later.
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Speaking on his JB5 app via Cadena SER, Bellingham opened up about the original injury to Rayo, which he referred to as the worst pain he has ever felt.
“It all started on match day against Rayo. It was the most painful experience I had been through until then. I felt like it took forever before they got it back in place… And it was only 90 seconds from the time they entered the field.
Bellingham: I should have had surgery earlier
It wasn’t the first time Bellingham had injured his shoulder, and in the past he had chosen not to undergo surgery – a decision he would regret in the years that followed.
“Previously, I managed to get it in place myself once when it expired. In my last season at Dortmund, at the beginning, I was already told that I had to have surgery on my shoulder, after a bad fall. I knew something wasn’t right, but it was August–September, and the World Championships were in December, so that’s why I didn’t have surgery.
“When I came to Madrid, I had no pain. Everyone told me that I still had to have surgery, but it was my first year at Real Madrid and I didn’t want to let the team down and be out for three months. The shoulder injury had a big impact on the rest of my body. I wasn’t in pain, but playing with the knowledge that if I fall, it can go out again, means that I can’t be at my best level.
Bellingham also revealed that he could have had surgery in the summer of 2024, but after losing the 2024 European Championship final against Spain, he didn’t want it to be his last experience for months.
“I didn’t want it to be my last taste of mouth for three months, but it would have been the best time to have surgery. I decided to continue for another year, and I shouldn’t have done that. Last year made me understand that I couldn’t take it for granted that I would win again. Now I’m better physically, and I can get back to my level.
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