Bellingham makes instant mark as Mourinho begins new Real Madrid chapter

Jude Bellingham needed only nine minutes to score Real Madrid’s first goal of Jose Mourinho’s second spell in charge, putting the Spanish giants 1-0 ahead against Espanyol in their opening La Liga match of the season on Saturday.

The England midfielder finished a swift start for Real Madrid with the opening goal away from home, giving Mourinho’s latest tenure an immediate boost. It also made Bellingham the first player to score for the club in this new phase under the Portuguese manager.

Bellingham has continued his impressive form after starring at the World Cup, and his early strike provided a perfect beginning to Real Madrid’s league campaign. His goal came at a notably quicker point than the first goal of Mourinho’s initial spell at the club.

During Mourinho’s first tenure, Portuguese defender Ricardo Carvalho scored Real Madrid’s opening goal of that period. He found the net against Osasuna after 48 minutes, according to data published by MisterChip on X.

Bellingham’s opener also placed him among the players who have scored Real Madrid’s first goal in La Liga across the past 15 seasons. The sequence includes Gonzalo Higuain, Karim Benzema in two successive seasons, Gareth Bale in three consecutive campaigns, Dani Carvajal, Benzema, Federico Valverde, Benzema, Lucas Vazquez, Rodrygo in two successive seasons, Kylian Mbappe and now Bellingham.

The goal therefore carried significance beyond the opening stages of the match at Espanyol. It marked the beginning of Real Madrid’s latest league campaign under Mourinho and continued a recent pattern in which a different leading player has taken responsibility for opening the club’s scoring account.

For Bellingham, the moment added another notable entry to his growing list of contributions for Real Madrid. His strike arrived in the ninth minute, 39 minutes earlier than Carvalho’s first goal during Mourinho’s previous spell.

Real Madrid’s advantage came in the opening fixture of their La Liga campaign, with the side looking to begin the new Mourinho era positively on the road. Bellingham’s goal ensured they did so with an early lead at Espanyol.

The latest name on the 15-season list follows a run featuring some of Real Madrid’s most prominent players. Higuain began the sequence, before Benzema appeared twice in succession. Bale then scored the club’s first league goal in three consecutive seasons, followed by Carvajal and another Benzema entry.

Valverde, Benzema once more, Vazquez, Rodrygo in consecutive campaigns and Mbappe subsequently added their names. Bellingham’s effort against Espanyol now completes the latest entry in that sequence.