Bellingham Fires Back at Alonso Feud: Denial Goes Viral and the Locker Room Keeps Calm
13 January 2026
Bellingham speaks out against feud rumors
Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid’s breakout star, strongly denies reports that he led a faction within the dressing room opposed to Xabi Alonso’s presence.
In a fiery statement, the England midfielder dismissed claims of a split in the squad during Alonso’s tenure, noting that he has endured many rumors but this one is pure nonsense.
He also urged fans who swallow every rumor to be cautious, joking that some sources seem to be auditioning for the role of clickbait king rather than credible journalism.
What the reports alleged about the dressing room
The Athletic previously claimed there was a clear division in the Madrid locker room under Alonso, a factor said to have contributed to his departure after a Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona in Saudi Arabia.
The report described a core group including Mbappé, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Dani Ceballos, and Raúl Asensio as players who did not trust Alonso.
Valverde and others were said to have not supported the coach, deepening the rift within the group and threatening the manager’s authority.
A separate line pointed to management attempting to impose fitness coach Antonio Pintus on Alonso without consulting him, an act Alonso reportedly viewed as a challenge to his technical prerogatives.
Journalist Pepi Álvarez added that Valverde and Bellingham were among players alleged to have shown disrespect toward Alonso, further staining the narrative around the squad’s cohesion.
The reports, echoed by several outlets, have not been corroborated by Real Madrid, who have kept their public responses largely measured.
Alonso’s departure was framed by these tensions, according to the sources cited in the piece, though club officials have urged a focus on upcoming fixtures rather than internal strife.
Overall, commentators stressed that locker-room politics are often magnified by headlines, and actual team harmony may be more nuanced than sensational reports suggest.
In the broader arc of the season, the saga sits alongside the ongoing discussion of leadership, trust, and how a megaphone-friendly press cycle can shape public perception more than on-pitch results.
Two snappy observations from the rumor mill aside, the real match is on the field and in the briefings that clubs share with fans and analysts alike.
Punchlines aside, the crowd will have to wait for the next chapter to see whether these whispered feuds translate into tangible outcomes on the trophy shelf.
And if you’re hoping for clarity, remember: the football pitch rarely prints the whole script—the rest is left to the headlines and a chorus of social chatter.
Two light-hearted zingers to cap it off: If rumors were goals, this story would be a top-scorer in the transfer window. And if you’re hunting breaking news, the only thing truly breaking is my patience for endless headlines.
