Jude Bellingham had the World Cup. Mourinho gave him back his position.

José Mourinho arrived at Real Madrid with a simple tactical deal for Jude Bellingham: stop defending like an emergency left-back and play closer to the opposition penalty area. In a 4-2-3-1 setup operating directly behind striker Kylian Mbappé, the 23-year-old England midfielder has been handed the freedom to decide when to arrive in the box and when to press high. 1

The shift borrows directly from England’s tournament summer. Under Thomas Tuchel, Bellingham was freed from deep midfield scrubbing and deployed as an advanced predator, producing seven goals and one assist in eight matches on the way to a bronze-medal finish. 12

Last season at Madrid had blunted that edge. Bellingham spent long spells tracking opposing wingers to cover Madrid’s lopsided backline, contributing to recurring injuries and a dip in league production. Mourinho watched the World Cup and saw the obvious remedy: placing Bellingham in the hole restores the physical presence and late runs that made his debut 23-goal Madrid campaign feel unstoppable. 1

The early dividends have arrived immediately. Through Real Madrid’s first three La Liga matches under Mourinho, Bellingham has registered two goals and three assists as Madrid collected three straight wins, scoring ten and conceding twice. 1

That resurgence, combined with his World Cup impact alongside Harry Kane, helped lift Bellingham to No. 8 in the 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or power rankings. While last club season was widely viewed as a plateau, his international summer proved that his ceiling remains unmatched when played in the right territory. 3

The tactical bargain is not without risk. Giving Bellingham roaming license behind Mbappé places greater defensive burden on Madrid’s double pivot. Over an eight-month club marathon against domestic low blocks and European heavyweights, Mourinho must prove that freeing Bellingham does not leave Madrid open behind him.

For now, the player who rescued England repeatedly in June looks like himself again: smiling, decisive, and dangerous in the final third.