Bellingham: Madrid star opens up on how his dad’s ‘fake’ shirt made him fall in love with Zidane

Jude Bellingham has shared how the renowned French football icon Zinedine Zidane became his ultimate role model.

The young talent, who has taken to life at Real Madrid like a duck to water, openly expresses his admiration for the 1998 World Cup champion, having previously stated that he models his own playing style after the French legend.

Emulating the path set by his idol, the 20-year-old, recently recognized as the top player under 21 at the 2023 Ballon d'Or Awards by winning the Kopa Trophy, per Eurosport, made a significant transition from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid during the summer transfer window.

Notably, Bellingham assumed the iconic No. 5 jersey, a symbol associated with Zidane's tenure with Los Blancos, spanning five seasons - from 2001 to 2006.

Recalling the intriguing story of his encounter with the legend, the 2022-2023 Bundesliga Player of the Year award recipient disclosed that his father, Mark, introduced him to the esteemed football figure.

“My father had a fake Zidane jersey he brought at the beach. He wore it everywhere, often at home. One day I asked, “By the way, who is this guy?”
He said, “Go to YouTube and take a look.” Since then, I probably haven't stopped. Zidane represented the player I wanted to be,” he said as cited by MadridXtra.