Bellingham Sparks Real Madrid's 3-2 Win Over Elche as Mourinho Revives His No. 10 Role
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 17
Bellingham Sparks Real Madrid's 3-2 Win Over Elche as Mourinho Revives His No. 10 Role
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 17
Summary
A 3-2 escape against bottom-side Elche turned on Jude Bellingham’s late surge from his own half, with his through ball setting up the stoppage-time winner after Madrid had squandered a 2-0 lead.
Mourinho has pushed the 23-year-old closer to goal as a No. 10 in a 4-2-3-1, cutting the defensive running that had dragged him deep and giving him more freedom to attack.
That shift follows a turbulent spell in which Bellingham battled a shoulder injury, drew criticism during Madrid’s unstable 2025-26 campaign and became a target for whistles at the Bernabeu.
A strong World Cup with England and Mourinho’s backing since arriving in June have restored Bellingham’s influence, with Sunday’s derby at Atletico now a bigger test of whether Madrid’s revival is real.