Jude Bellingham failed ‘secret of a top player’ test at Borussia Dortmund – has Real Madrid & England superstar mastered it ahead of Champions League final?

Jude Bellingham failed Paul Lambert’s “secret of top player” test at Borussia Dortmund, but has he mastered it at Real Madrid?

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• Midfielder caught the eye in Germany
• Headed to Spain in summer of 2023
• Now chasing down continental crown

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England international, who already has a La Liga title triumph under his belt for 2023-24, is currently readying himself for a Champions League final clash with former employers Dortmund at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Lambert, as a BVB legend, will be among the interested observers when that continental clash takes place. He hopes Bellingham ends up on the losing team, but is a big fan of the 20-year-old midfielder – who has earned Golden Boy honours and is considered to be a contender for Ballon d’Or contention recognition in 2024.

• WHAT LAMBERT SAID

  Lambert has told the of crossing paths with Bellingham during his time at Dortmund, with the youngster eager to present him with a match-worn jersey after one outing for the Bundesliga giants: “We met up and he had his shirt for me, which was lovely. It was soaking wet. I said to him, ‘Jude, you know the secret of being a top player? You don’t sweat!’. He laughed, we had a chat and got a picture. He’d said to me, ‘All right, legend’. I’m not one for all that, really. But I just thought he was a brilliant kid. I’d watched them train the day before and phoned my pal straight away. ‘I’ve just seen two young lads’, I told him. ‘Haaland and Bellingham. They’re going to be superstars!’”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  That assessment has proved to be correct, with Bellingham completing a big-money transfer to Madrid in the summer of 2023 – with the 20-goal barrier broken in his debut campaign with the Blancos. Haaland, meanwhile, headed for Manchester City in 2022 and helped them to a historic treble at the end of his first season in England – with the prolific Norwegian up to 90 goals through 98 appearances for the Premier League title holders.