Toni Kroos Shares Advice with Jude Bellingham on Joining Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos has extended a warm welcome to Jude Bellingham as the young English star joins the club, drawing a parallel with a previous player’s career path. Bellingham’s transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Madrid has been officially announced, with the midfielder signing a six-year contract at the renowned Bernabeu.
Bellingham, who made the move to Germany from his childhood club Birmingham in 2020, has always harbored dreams of playing for the La Liga giants. Dortmund confirmed in a statement last week that Real Madrid has agreed to pay an initial sum of 103 million euros (£88.5 million) for the acquisition of Bellingham.
With the deal now finalized, Bellingham, who missed out on England’s squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers due to injury, is set to be unveiled as a Real Madrid player on Thursday. The official presentation ceremony will take place at Real Madrid City on Thursday, June 15, at noon.
As Bellingham prepares to compete with Kroos for a spot in Madrid’s midfield, the German midfielder offered some words of caution, hinting at the potential burden of a high transfer fee. Though he refrained from mentioning Eden Hazard by name, Kroos alluded to the former Chelsea star’s career struggles following his move to the Spanish capital.
During his podcast, Kroos stated, “We had another player who came for a significant amount of money and essentially saw his career decline. It was a considerable investment, and I believe most would agree it wasn’t a successful transfer. But let’s remain positive.”
Bellingham’s exceptional performances for Dortmund, which earned him the Bundesliga Player of the Season title, showcased his talent on the field. Despite narrowly missing out on the league title on the final day of the campaign, Bellingham’s aspirations have always revolved around the grandest stage of all—the Champions League.
“When it comes to my ambitions in the game, my goal has always been to win everything. I have no hesitation in saying that,” Bellingham expressed in a recent interview with the PA news agency.
He firmly believes that every professional footballer should strive for such goals, fueling his desire to achieve greatness in the sport.
