Real Madrid news: Why Jose Mourinho moved Jude Bellingham closer to goal

Jude Bellingham is beginning to rediscover his best Real Madrid form under Jose Mourinho, with the Portuguese coach deliberately moving the England international closer to goal and reducing the defensive ground he is required to cover.

Bellingham provided another reminder of his influence in Tuesday’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Elche.

Introduced during the second half, the 23-year-old helped create the decisive move by carrying the ball forward from his own half, beating opponents and releasing Kylian Mbappe.

The France international then supplied Carlos Espi for the late winner.

Bellingham did not register the official assist, but his role in the move illustrated the freedom Mourinho has tried to restore since taking charge at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The change represents a significant shift from last season, when Bellingham endured one of the most difficult spells of his Madrid career.

Why Mourinho wanted Bellingham closer to goal

Bellingham’s first campaign after joining Madrid in 2023 demonstrated how dangerous he could be when allowed to attack the final third.

However, his role gradually became broader.

He was frequently asked to drop deeper, contribute to build-up play and cover large spaces defensively, responsibilities which sometimes left him far away from the areas in which he had previously been most decisive.

Mourinho made it clear that he wanted to change that.

“I agreed with him that I don’t want to see him playing almost as a second left-back anymore, something I saw him doing many times,” the Madrid boss said in August.

The Portuguese coach’s solution has largely been to use Bellingham as a number 10 in a 4-2-3-1.

That structure places him closer to the opposition penalty area and allows him to concentrate more on carrying the ball forward, arriving late into attacking positions and combining with Madrid’s forwards.

A source close to Mourinho explained the effect of the change to The Athletic.

“Above all, he is playing closer to goal,” the source said.

“He is performing better because he is running fewer kilometres.”

The point is not that Bellingham has stopped working defensively.

His physical capacity remains one of his major strengths.

Instead, Mourinho is attempting to make those runs more useful by reducing the amount of energy the midfielder spends covering areas far away from goal.

How Bellingham has responded to new Real Madrid role

The tactical change has arrived after a complicated period for the England international.

Bellingham played through a long-standing shoulder problem before eventually undergoing surgery, while his return initially came before he had fully regained his rhythm.

His form then became a subject of debate both at Madrid and with England.

He was omitted from one England squad during that recovery period, although he later responded strongly at the World Cup and again demonstrated his capacity to influence major matches.

His two-goal performance against Norway was one of the clearest examples, helping England reach the World Cup semi-finals.

Mourinho had already identified Bellingham as an important part of his plans before that tournament.

The two held discussions over how he could be used, with the Madrid coach reportedly confident that a more advanced role could help restore the version of Bellingham who had made such an immediate impact after arriving from Borussia Dortmund.

Early indications suggest that the plan is working.

The midfielder has looked more comfortable receiving the ball between the lines and attacking space rather than constantly beginning moves from deeper positions.

His contribution against Elche was another example.

Bellingham still used his athleticism to progress the ball over a long distance, but the move ended with him influencing the decisive attacking phase rather than simply covering defensive ground.

Inside Madrid, his work away from matches also continues to be highly regarded.

A club source told The Athletic that Bellingham remains diligent with his physical preparation, regularly staying behind for recovery work and additional gym sessions.

The next major test will come against Atletico Madrid.

Last season’s derby at the Metropolitano coincided with one of the most difficult stages of Bellingham’s campaign.

This time, his role is clearer.

Mourinho has not reinvented Bellingham.

He has simply attempted to remove some of the responsibilities that were taking him away from what he does best.

For Madrid, the early reward is a midfielder who appears increasingly capable of deciding games again from the areas where he is most dangerous.