New tactics at Real: Mourinho explains how he boosted Bellingham's power

Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho, in an interview with the prestigious Spanish publication AS , spoke in detail about the performance of one of the team's leaders, Jude Bellingham, the changes in his tactical duties, and his candidacy for the most prestigious individual award in football — the Ballon d'Or.

The Portuguese specialist revealed that he has completely re-evaluated the 23-year-old midfielder's role on the pitch and given him new freedom to fully showcase his potential.

“He no longer runs as a full-back”: Mourinho's tactical decision

José Mourinho shared the following thoughts regarding his personal agreement with the English star and his character:

• High demands: “He is extremely demanding of himself and others. I really like this trait”;

• Correcting a tactical error: “I made a specific agreement with him: I don't want to see him tracking back as a second left-back during defense. Because that used to happen often before. We at Benfica actively exploited that weakness”;

• New structure and comfort: “We have set up the team completely differently now. He knows exactly what he needs to do on the pitch and feels very free and comfortable.”

Ballon d'Or and dominance in midfield

The Real manager specifically noted that Jude Bellingham deserves to be the best player in the world:

• Real's contenders: “I have said that there are several players at Real Madrid capable of winning the Ballon d'Or. Here is one of them — Jude himself”;

• Phenomenon in the center: “Of course, there are players who have made history through the World Cup. But Jude is showing an incredible level in the center of midfield.”