Champions League

JUDE BELLINGHAM risks being burned out by his “obscene” playing schedule – according to the International Players Union.England superstar Bellingham has been given a week off by Three Lions chief Gareth Southgate after lifting the Champions League for the first time at Wembley on Saturday.Jude Bellingham played a huge role in Real Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League successesCredit: REXThe 20-year-old could play an additional seven more games this season if England reach the finals of Euro 2024Credit: GETTYThe midfielder has been warned he could suffer from burnout in the futureCredit: GETTYBellingham, who made a series of key defensive blocks as well as teeing up Vinicius Jr for Madrid’s killer second goal in the win over Dortmund, has already played 47 games in his inaugural season at the Bernabeu.As a certain starter for Southgate at Euro 2024, the England boss is hoping he will play another SEVEN games over the next few weeks.And number crunchers at the international players’ union FifPro are urging caution because of the sheer amount of football Bellingham already has under his belt.Even before his 21st birthday next month, Bellingham has clocked up 18,571 first-team minutes.READ MORE ON BELLINGHAMBy contrast, David Beckham had played just 3,929 minutes at the same age, Steven Gerrard 7,034, Michael Owen 11,719 and Wayne Rooney, who made his prem debut at 16, 15,481.Darren Burgess, formerly Arsenal’s head of elite performance, who unveiled the statistics at FifPro’s Player Workload and Recovery summit in London, said: “Young players’ careers are at risk because of the amount of football they are expected to play.“If you look at those Bellingham numbers, the strain on him is absolutely obscene.”BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSMeet Jude Bellingham’s stunning girlfriend, lingerie model Laura Celia ValkBy Jon Boon
LAURA CELIA VALK is the stunning Dutch fashion model who has stolen Jude Bellingham’s heart.
The Sun exclusively revealed that she’s been staying at his place in Madrid and is completely smitten with him.
Laura boasts a huge social media following and regularly travels the world, enjoying a luxurious lifestyle.
From underwear modelling to showing off Pretty Little Thing’s latest wear, she regularly collaborates with fashion houses around the globe.
Wherever she is, Laura makes sure to drop into Chanel – her favourite designer.
She’s also quite the foodie, with pizza and strawberries being her favourites.
It won’t be long before we see her at the Bernabeu enjoying a prawn sandwich!
Find out more about Laura.
Or read all the latest Jude Bellingham news.

FifPro’s figures showed that Tottenham’s Argentine defender Cristian Romero travelled an astonishing 81,000 international air miles this season – more than three times around the world – and that was without Spurs playing in Europe.Most read in FootballSkipper Son Heung-min was back in action for Ange Postecoglou just four days after featuring in the Asian Cup semi-final for Korea in Qatar, a tournament in which he played the full 600 minutes across six matches in barely three weeks.Inside the Real Madrid and Jude Bellingham love affairBurgess added: “The travel demands on South American and Asian players with European clubs is simply unsustainable.“These statistics do not include the summer tournaments that are coming up, just from their commitments during the season so far.“It shows us that even at the biggest clubs, an average of eight players will play 50 per cent of a club’s entire playing minutes, with the other 22 players in the squad playing the remaining 50 per cent.“Coaches feel they have to put their best players on the pitch, even if they are in danger.“If you look at Julian Alvarez at Manchester City, he has played in 64 matches this season and been on the bench another six times.“Even when you are only a substitute, you still have to warm up and warm down, and you have to switch on mentally. It is not a rest.Jude Bellingham will be key to England’s bid to win Euro 2024Credit: GETTY“Kylian Mbappe is facing the Euros this summer, the Club World Cup next year and then the World Cup in 2026.“It could mean him playing 200 games in his first two seasons at Real Madrid, including 72 matches next season.“More than half of all players say they have been forced to play when injured and 82 per cent of coaches admitted they selected players they knew needed a rest.“It adds up to both a physical AND a mental risk if we continue down this path.READ MORE SUN STORIES“Players are not recovering properly from games or seasons.“If you are playing a European away match on a Thursday you can get back at 6am the next morning and be expected to perform at noon on the Sunday. It’s just not fair on the players.” More

JOSE MOURINHO brutally joked that Gareth Bale was already thinking about his golf career during their time together at Tottenham.Mourinho and Bale were reunited for pundit duties as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the Champions League final at Wembley.Jose Mourinho left Gareth Bale, Rio Ferdinand and Laura Woods in stitches after a savage joke aimed at the Wales legendCredit: TNT SPORTSBale worked with Mourinho when he returned to Tottenham on loan from Real MadridCredit: PAAnd like Dortmund, Bale fell victim to a special football force.The Wales legend, on loan from Real Madrid, scored 15 goals in 32 appearances as Tottenham endured an underwhelming season that saw them finish seventh in the Premier League in 2020/2021.Five-time Champions League winner Bale briefly joined the pundits pitchside to discuss his former club Real Madrid’s greatness in Europe.The retired Welshman, who is known for having a huge passion for golf, was then asked what it was like to play under the Special One at Tottenham.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSBale said: “I loved working with him.”Only for his quick-witted ex-manager to hit back: “At that time he was already thinking about winning Augusta.”The Augusta National is one of the most famous golf courses in the world and hosts the Masters every year.Bale, standing alongside Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand, burst out laughing and responded: “Playing Augusta, maybe. Not winning!”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSBale was taunted about his love of golf throughout his time at the Bernabeu, having infamously held a flag which read ‘Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.”He featured in a PGA Tour pro-am weeks after announcing his retirement from football at the age of 33.Watch Jose Mourinho’s crazy Fenerbahce unveiling as thousands of screaming fans light flares to welcome new managerMourinho did concede that their time in north London was deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw matches played behind closed doors.He said: “That was not football. COVID, empty stadiums… that was not football.”The new Fenerbahce boss was in red hot form, offering a series of hilarious moments and fascinating analysis.Another included a dig at Arsene Wenger, with whom he has a long- running feud.Wenger, who is now Fifa’s chief of global football development, is pushing for a controversial change to the offside law.The 74-year-old wants a rule tweak that would effectively mean there has to be “daylight” between an attacker and defender for it to be offside.READ MORE SUN STORIESPresenter Woods saw Wenger in the stands and said it would be great if he was able to have a chat with them.Mourinho brutally responded with a bemused look on his face: “Ask him about what he wants to do with the offside. Let me go before, please. It’s time for me to go.”Mourinho then flew to Turkey after agreeing to manage Fenerbahce until 2026Credit: Getty More

JUDE BELLINGHAM left fans in awe by conducting an interview in fluent Spanish after Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph.England international Bellingham, 20, signed off his first season with Los Blancos in style as he assisted the second goal in a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.Jude Bellingham conducted an interview in fluent Spanish during Real Madrid’s Champions League celebrationsCredit: RMTVFans were equally as impressed with Bellingham’s Spanish as they have been with his performancesCredit: RMTVThe victory clinched Real’s 15th European title and sixth in the last decade.It also means Bellingham has secured a LaLiga-Champions League double less than 12 months after joining from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth £115million.He has played 42 games for Real Madrid, scoring 23 goals and laying on 13 assists.But it is not only on the pitch where he has endeared himself to the Bernabeu faithful.READ MORE ON JUDE BELLINGHAMBellingham has shown himself to be mature beyond his years when talking to the media, articulating his thoughts in a measured and eloquent manner.And while he has had less than one year to learn the language since arriving in Spain, he is already conducting interviews in the native tongue.Speaking to Real Madrid TV, he said: “I’m very happy because I have all my family here.”Not my actual family, but this team is amazing. Every day it’s a pleasure to work with them. I’m very happy here.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSBellingham outshines Sancho on the night of his dreams at Wembley
THE very moment Vinicius Junior struck the second goal, Jude Bellingham sank to his knees, stretched out his arms and looked up at the sky, writes Charlie Wyett.
It was the moment that Bellingham had always dreamed of, to win the Champions League. The fact it came at Wembley, on home soil, made it that little sweeter.
Bellingham delivered the pass to Vinicius who scored to ensure that Real Madrid, remarkably, have now been the kings of Europe on 15 occasions.
It was the final kick of the biggest game in Bellingham’s life as he was immediately replaced by Joselu in a tactical switch by Carlo Ancelotti.
With no Premier League teams involved, this was an English duel between Bellingham and Jadon Sancho. The west midlands v south London. Stourbridge versus Kennington.
It is obvious which of the two former team-mates won this scrap, although Sancho’s team should have put Real out of sight by half-time.
Ultimately, neither Englishmen had particularly dazzling games.
Sancho, on loan from Manchester United, started brightly and gave Real left-back Ferland Mendy a few uneasy moments.
Yet this was nothing like the performances he delivered against PSG to help his team to the final.
Instead, with three minutes remaining of normal time, Sancho was replaced by another Englishman, teenager Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.
There was to be no drama. Bellingham added this Euro title to his La Liga winner’s medal. Not forgetting he has also been voted as the La Liga player of the year.
Bellingham, featuring in his 42nd game of the season for Real, was unable to make much of an impact in his role wide left.
On the hour mark, he had touched the ball 35 times but had done little with it.
With the scores at 0-0, he somehow failed to score with a header when he was unable to make contact with a cross from Vinicius. Any touch and it would have been a goal.
By then, the keyboard warriors were out in force on social media, dishing out some laughable criticism of England’s greatest talent. Potentially, our greatest ever player.
Yet the inevitable happened and Dortmund were left to curse those missed chances.
A mistake by Sancho led to a Madrid corner and Dani Carvajal leapt highest to head them into the lead.
Bellingham had another chance but it was deflected wide by Nico Schlotterbeck.
But, with seven minutes left, he helped stick the knife in to help Vinicius score and ensure this is an evening he will never forget.
In the crowd were his dad Mark, mum Denise and brother Jobe, who got into the stadium five hours early
Bellingham’s mum was in tears as her son stepped up to get his medal. And let’s all hope Bellingham will be lifting another trophy in Berlin on July 14.

He then went on to add: “It’s incredible because I have the pleasure to play with the best players in the world and it’s easy when you play with them.”My Spanish is good but not perfect so excuse me, I’m sorry but I try.Watch Jude Bellingham swear at critics on live TV after Champions League final as he’s warned ‘it’s still early in US'”For the last time this season, Hala Madrid!”The interview left fans in shock as they heaped praise on Bellingham for learning Spanish so quickly.One said: “Is there anything this guy can’t do? And he’s only 20 years old ffs.”Another added: “As a native speaker, I’m really impressed. I’ve been studying English for years and I can’t even speak or write more than two phrases without consulting Google. Kudos for him.”A third replied: “His accent is really solid.”While a fourth responded: “What a man, deserves it all. His attitude is his best attribute.”And a fifth simply said: “Very, very impressive.”READ MORE SUN STORIESBellingham will not feature in England’s upcoming friendlies against Bosnia and Iceland, but is due to link up with the rest of Gareth Southgate’s squad ahead of the Euros.The Three Lions’ first group game comes against Serbia on June 16, before they take on Denmark and Slovenia.Meet Jude Bellingham’s stunning girlfriend, lingerie model Laura Celia ValkBy Jon Boon
LAURA CELIA VALK is the stunning Dutch fashion model who has stolen Jude Bellingham’s heart.
The Sun exclusively revealed that she’s been staying at his place in Madrid and is completely smitten with him.
Laura boasts a huge social media following and regularly travels the world, enjoying a luxurious lifestyle.
From underwear modelling to showing off Pretty Little Thing’s latest wear, she regularly collaborates with fashion houses around the globe.
Wherever she is, Laura makes sure to drop into Chanel – her favourite designer.
She’s also quite the foodie, with pizza and strawberries being her favourites.
It won’t be long before we see her at the Bernabeu enjoying a prawn sandwich!
Find out more about Laura.
Or read all the latest Jude Bellingham news. More