Bellingham’s Class of 2025: Real Madrid Crown Barca in a Showstopping Clasico
27 October 2025
El Clasico Spotlight: Bellingham Delivers in Madrid
The English star Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid's standout, grabbed the spotlight in the Clasico at the Santiago Bernabéu, delivering a standout display: a goal, an assist, and leadership that helped Madrid secure a valuable win and reclaim their aura against Barcelona, drawing wide praise, even in the American press.
According to the Spanish newspaper AS, Real Madrid ended Sunday a run of four straight defeats to Barcelona since Hans Flick took charge of the Catalan side.
Bellingham played 89 minutes, but that was enough to score, create a decisive pass, and win a penalty Mbappé missed.
The English star regained the glint he showed in 2023-24, which American outlets praised as a performance "from another world".
Global Praise and Context
Global praise poured in from major outlets such as USA Today, NBC Sports, The Athletic, and ESPN, which dedicated wide space to analyzing Bellingham's display, crowning him the standout player of the "big Clasico".
A New York Times sports editor wrote in The Athletic that there was no better stage for his strong comeback, noting how freely the Englishman moved across the field.
The article noted that he opened his scoring tally this season after the midweek win over Juventus in the Champions League, using that spark to be decisive against Barca.
The piece praised the precise pass to Mbappé that opened the scoring, while analysts said the performance recalled the strong chemistry with Vinícius Júnior in the 2024 Spanish Super Cup final.
The article also pointed out the huge gap between his level against Barça and his subdued display in the derby loss to Atlético Madrid (5-2), his first match after surgery.
ESPN dedicated a lengthy feature noting that the win in the Bernabéu pushed Real Madrid's points gap over Barcelona to five after ten rounds, underlining the decisive roles of the duo Mbappé and Bellingham in the victory.
The report's headline read: "Mbappé and Bellingham Lead Real Madrid to Victory over Barcelona in Clasico," highlighting the pair's crucial influence on the outcome.
USA Today contrasted Bellingham with Lamine Yamal, a rising Ballon d'Or contender, in a piece that also referenced controversial pre-match comments by Yamal that sparked debate ahead of the clash.
The publication also touched on Pedri's performance, stressing that "all the lights were on the royal squad" and concluding that Bellingham's through ball to Milito produced the opener before a right-footed finish tucked into the bottom-left corner.
Return of the Global Star
Bellingham later told Real Madrid TV that the win is "very important," noting that Madrid had struggled previously but produced a great performance and deserved the three points.
He added that the team started strong in attack and finished with disciplined defending in the second half, praising teammates Militao, Nacho, Fidir, Carreras, and Carvajal for their collective display when called upon.
On his assist to Mbappé that opened the scoring: "They defend high; with Mbappé things are easier. I turned and passed. Simple."
Regarding his goal, the Englishman said that some call it luck, but for him it was about reading the play and being in the right place at the right moment.
He also confirmed he's in peak physical condition after shoulder surgery: "I worked a lot with the medical staff and in the gym. I feel great and ready for what's next."
Punchline: Bellingham didn't just break the defense—he choreographed a one-man highlight reel.
Punchline: If football were a stand-up show, Madrid just closed the set with a Bellingham encore Barca won’t forget.
