Jude Bellingham hailed Real Madrid’s Champions League final win as the “best night of my life” after the Spanish giants beat Borussia Dortmund.
The 20-year-old has been a revelation in his first season after leaving Dortmund in the summer and he played his part in the final as Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior scored the decisive goals.
His appetite for the biggest games has been the defining feature of a stunning, 23-goal campaign for Madrid.
Any doubts about how he might adapt under the glare of the spotlight at Real Madrid, with all the pressure the shirt brings, were immediately dispelled following his £115m arrival and now he’s a Champions League winner.
Bellingham has joined an elite group of just four British players (Paul Lambert, Owen Hargreaves and Steve McManaman) to have won the Champions League with a foreign club after Madrid’s success at Wembley.
“I’ve always dreamt of playing in these games,” he told TNT Sports.
Bellingham celebrates at the full-time whistle
“You go through life with people telling you that you can’t do things. Days like this remind you. It gets hard sometimes and you wonder whether it’s worth it but nights like this make you realise. I was alright until I saw my mum and dad. Nights like where they could have been at home by 7pm but they’re out until 12pm on trips to take me to football. And my little brother who I’m trying to be a role model for.
“This is the best night of my life.”
He added: “It’s a special feeling. Some of my teammates have five or six titles and they said enjoy your first as it’s a feeling like no other when you reach the top of the mountain. Yes, it’s important to maintain that level but never forget your first and enjoy it. They were the better team for the majority but it comes down to moments and if you don’t kill us, then it will come back to haunt you.
“It’s a hard club to play for when you get here. People don’t realise the magnitude of the club. To be here and settle the pressure with how I’ve done is really good. The pressure is a lot.
“There is a bubble of the players and the staff but outside of that, it feels like the world is on top of you. Stuff happens in training and five seconds later it’s out in the media. That’s why winning for this club is so rewarding. You hold and absorb the pressure and then you get moments like this to enjoy until it starts again.”
Thumbs up: Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid are flying back to Spain on Sunday where the celebrations are set to continue. Bellingham is likely to play a huge part for England at this summer’s European Championships and although he does have a week off to “rest and relax” he admitted to feeling fatigued.
He said: “I go back to the national team on June 8 so I’ve got time to rest and relax. I need to listen to my body this week. I’m sure there will be a lot of celebrating. I think I will need something a little stronger than Lucozade tonight.”
Ancelotti on his fifth CL win: It’s not difficult to manage this squad
Carlo Ancelotti lifts the Champions League trophy
Carlo Ancelotti has now won the coveted prize five times as a head coach. No other coach has managed four, let alone five and he’s now won nine of his last 10 Champions League or domestic finals.
He told TNT: “It seems a dream but it is reality. I’m happy. It was a really difficult game as usual – they played better first half and we were better in the second half. Finals are like this. We were able to win and it’s been a fantastic season.
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Real Madrid fans celebrated their Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund at a watchalong party at the Bernabeu
“It’s the history and tradition of the club. We have a fantastic environment, we work together without problems. The atmosphere in the dressing room is good. I have to say thank you to my club and the players with no big egos and being so humble. It’s not difficult to manage this squad this season.
“We are not going to sleep tonight, that’s for sure.
“My next target? To try to do my best all the time.
“This competition gave me fantastic happiness as a player, manager and my target is to try to repeat the same emotion.
“I have the luck to be in the best club in the world.”
Terzic: Real Madrid’s quality is incredible
Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic: “The momentum turned around and you saw why they are champions.
“It was a very even game in the first 15-20 minutes of the second half. But the quality of the opponent is incredible. When you see how we lost the momentum of the game through a set-piece, this is something we have to learn from.
“We have been always dangerous in ball possession, on counter-attacks but we couldn’t manage to score and that was the key to why we didn’t win the game.”
On Jadon Sancho’s future: “The last six months, Jadon has been brilliant for us. It took some time to get back into shape but we can feel his quality and skills would improve our game straight away. He didn’t improve only his game but the players around him. He’s very gifted.
“We’ve been talking about the present. The Champions League final in his hometown. I’m really happy he is with us. You can feel the joy he receives in the dressing room and brings into the dressing room.
“I’m very happy to work with Jadon. We don’t know what the future will bring him but for sure it will bring him another Champions League final.”
