da winzada777： The England midfielder has pieced together a remarkable first campaign at Santiago Bernabeu – but where do his performances rank?
da leao： Jude Bellingham has taken Real Madrid by storm. The England midfielder was named La Liga Player of the Season earlier this week, the perfect culmination to one of the best individual campaigns in recent memory within the Spanish top flight.
Few could have expected Bellingham would be this good, but he has delivered all the same, and has asserted himself as the future of the club – all at 20 years old. His performances over the last 10 months have thrust him into conversations about the greatest debut campaigns in a Madrid shirt, too.
There are certainly some names to live up to in that regard, with multiple Ballon d'Or winners, global superstars and true legends of the game to contend with. So where does Bellingham rank? And who else is in the mix? GOAL takes a look at the best debut seasons for Real Madrid over the years…
Getty10Roberto Carlos (1996-97)
Madrid supposedly couldn't believe that Roberto Carlos was available in 1996. The Brazilian had starred at Inter in the 1995-96 campaign, and was regarded as one of Europe's best prospects after just one year in Serie A.
He continued on that trajectory at Madrid, too, as he started 37 league games in his debut campaign, scoring five and assisting 12 as Madrid won La Liga.
Advertisement9Ferenc Puskas (1958-59)
Football's first superstar, Ferenc Puskas, didn't play for two years in between leaving Budapest Honved in his native Hungary and joining Madrid. But you wouldn't have known.
Puskas scored four hat-tricks in his first Liga season, and ended the year with 33 goals in all competitions while getting his hands on the European Cup.
8Luis Figo (2000-01)
Has there been a more controversial transfer in world football? Luis Figo betrayed Barcelona fans by signing for Madrid for a world-record fee in 2000, and steadily went about justifying the massive cost in a scintillating debut campaign.
He finished the season with 14 goals, and led Madrid to their first league title since 1997.
Getty Images7Alfredo Di Stefano (1953-54)
Alfredo Di Stefano needed a few months to get going in Madrid, but once he did, the legendary forward established himself as one of the world's best.
He found the net 27 times in 28 appearances during his maiden campaign, leading Los Blancos to their first La Liga win in two decades. It was a season that changed the fortunes of a club that was previously stuck in its ways.