Jude Bellingham to Miss Season Start After Shoulder Surgery

Jude Bellingham to Miss Season Start After Shoulder Surgery

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has undergone successful surgery on a long-standing shoulder problem and is set to miss the start of the 2025-26 season.

The 22-year-old England international will be sidelined for at least six weeks, ruling him out of Real Madrid’s pre-season and the early stages of their La Liga campaign.

Ongoing Shoulder Issues

Bellingham has struggled with the injury since dislocating his shoulder in a match against Rayo Vallecano in 2023. He has played with heavy strapping ever since but admitted in June he was “tired of playing with the sling.”

Real Madrid confirmed the surgery was planned for after the Club World Cup in the United States, where the Spanish giants were eliminated in the semi-finals by Paris Saint-Germain last week.

“He will now begin a rehabilitation period before returning to full training,” the club said in a statement.

Key Matches Bellingham Will Miss

• La Liga opener: vs Osasuna (19 August)

• England World Cup qualifiers: vs Andorra and Serbia (September)

New manager Xabi Alonso will need to reshuffle his midfield as Bellingham recovers.

Impact on Club and Country

Bellingham joined Real from Borussia Dortmund for £115m in 2023 and enjoyed a stellar debut season, winning La Liga and the Champions League while scoring 23 goals in 43 appearances.

Last term, he notched 15 goals in 58 matches as Madrid were beaten to the league title by Barcelona and exited the Champions League in the quarter-finals against Arsenal.

His absence will be a major blow for both club and country as they head into crucial fixtures this autumn.