Why I opted for Zidane’s iconic No. 5 shirt – Bellingham

Jude Bellingham revealed why he chose Zinedine Zidane’s iconic No. 5 shirt at Real Madrid.

The English international, who joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund this summer, has taken Spanish football by storm by donning the iconic No. 5 shirt which once belonged to the legendary former French footballer Zinedine Zidane.

On Monday, upon receiving the 2023 Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, Bellingham was asked about why he chose to take Zidane’s jersey number at Los Blancos to which he jokingly replied that there were not many numbers left when he arrived at the Spanish club.

Speaking at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, the Englishman said, “There wasn’t much else left! It adds a little bit of pressure but I wanted to pay homage to one of my idols.”

The 20-year-old has scored 13 goals across all competitions for Real Madrid in as many matches and netted 10 times in La Liga which is more than what his idol Zidane ever managed in a season for the club.

With the Kopa Trophy in his bag, the midfielder will now eye the coveted Ballon d’Or award in 2024.

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