Jude Bellingham admits Real Madrid beating Liverpool in Champions League final – Jude Bellingham says watching Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the Champions League final played a big part in his decision to join.
The Birmingham-born midfielder was unveiled as a signing of the Spanish giants after they paid an initial £88.5million fee, with numerous add-ons set to take the deal to £115m.
Despite high-profile interest from Premier League giants Manchester City and Liverpool, the 19-year-old explained his reasoning for joining Real Madrid, saying he ‘couldn’t turn them down’.
Speaking in his press conference, Bellingham said: “I have always been aware of the interest from England so that was pretty normal, but it was a bit of a surprise when my dad sat me down and said, ‘You’ve had a bit of interest from Real Madrid.’
“It was 12-15 months ago maybe. When he said that, goosebumps really. My heart was close to stopping. It’s something you don’t expect growing up, to play for a team like this. When it actually manifests itself, it’s such an extraordinary feeling.
“The exact moment (I made my decision) is hard to say. I had the meeting when they came to my house and I was sold, but I can’t really remember when that was. That was the moment for me when it was definite.
“I’ve always really admired the club, watching them win the [2022] Champions League. I was there at the final when they beat Liverpool. That was another huge factor but there were loads of things that went into making me decide to join this club because there are loads of reasons.
“Yes, of course (England team-mates spoke to him about his future) at the World Cup and the international team camps. It’s hard, all of them wanted me to come back to England and play for their teams, which I really appreciate.
“But I like the idea of this being out my comfort zone, if you like. It would maybe have been an easier option to go back to England, my native country, and live there and play in the Premier League.
“But I couldn’t turn down Real Madrid really. The club is so big. It just felt like the right move for me. It’s not because the other clubs are bad, nothing like that, it’s just because Real Madrid is where I wanted to be.”
