Jude Bellingham and Jose Mourinho: Can a New Frank Lampard Be Created?

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham is facing a major challenge to improve his position and effectiveness on the pitch. The question of whether the England star can follow the path of Frank Lampard, who became the world’s best goalscoring midfielder under Jose Mourinho, is currently at the center of football discussions. Former club legend Steve McManaman discussed the matter in detail in an interview with GOAL. Goal.com reports on this.

Looking back, in 2004 Jose Mourinho, who introduced himself as the “Special One,” took charge of Chelsea in London. The Portuguese coach began working with the established players in the squad, as well as new signings brought in with funding from the billionaire owner. Frank Lampard was one of those talents. In Mourinho’s first season, the English midfielder scored 19 goals. He later surpassed the 20-goal mark, maintained that level for five consecutive seasons and scored 211 goals in 648 appearances for Chelsea.

Jude Bellingham’s career at Real Madrid

A product of the Birmingham academy, Jude Bellingham immediately flourished after moving to the Santiago Bernabéu in 2023, scoring 23 goals in his debut season. His performances helped the team win the La Liga and Champions League titles. However, his output then declined. During the injury-hit following season, he managed only eight goals, although he scored seven times at the 2026 World Cup. He is now working under experienced coach Jose Mourinho.

According to GOAL, ahead of the away match against Espanyol, which will be broadcast on Disney+ and mark Mourinho’s first La Liga game, Steve McManaman said: “I think he managed it in his first year. But time will tell, because he dropped a little deeper the season before and struggled for goals last year.”

Competition for places and future prospects

The expert noted that the arrival of stars such as Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior has also affected Jude Bellingham’s responsibilities. “His role changed with Kylian’s arrival. Time will tell what role Jose wants him to play this year. It looks like he wants to have Kylian, Vini Junior and Yan Diomande on the pitch, and the key question is whether Jude can join the front four and exploit the spaces,” McManaman said.

Nevertheless, the expert believes this attacking quartet can work in some La Liga matches and that Jude can once again showcase his trademark ability to arrive late in the opposition penalty area and score. All fans and experts are now following the next moves of Real Madrid and Jude Bellingham under Jose Mourinho with great interest.