(Reuters) – Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said he is confident Jude Bellingham can cope with sky-high expectations at the club after the England midfielder’s sparkling start to life in the Spanish capital.
Bellingham, 20, joined Real from Borussia Dortmund in June for 103 million euros ($109.75 million) and said at the time that his decision to sign for the 14-times European champions was driven by a desire to add to the their rich soccer history.
He is the currently the top scorer in LaLiga with five goals, helping Real top the standings after wins in all four league games so far, and also starred in England’s 3-1 win over Scotland in a friendly on Tuesday.
“He’s playing in an important league and at an important club. He’s doing very well and I’m not surprised,” Ancelotti told reporters on Saturday. “Good players with personality suffer a bit less than the others.
“A player with personality above all, more than quality, means that an important shirt like Real Madrid’s doesn’t weigh so much.”
Ancelotti praised the consistency of Bellingham’s performances and believes he will remain grounded despite the increased attention.
“He’s a player who’s very focused, very serious, very professional,” he said. “He’s not someone who could lose his head if someone speaks well of him.
“He shows consistency and he has great physical strength. I don’t know how many goals he can score, but he has to maintain this consistency because he helps us a lot in our attacking play.”
Real host 10th-placed Real Sociedad on Sunday.
($1 = 0.9385 euros)
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Hyderabad; Editing by Kim Coghill)
