Jude Bellingham References Lionel Messi in Sharp Exchange with Cristian Romero
During the intense Madrid derby, Jude Bellingham took a pointed jab at Cristian Romero by bringing up Lionel Messi in their heated confrontation. The match ended with Atletico Madrid beating Real Madrid 2-1, but controversy lingered after the final whistle.
Real Madrid's manager, Jose Mourinho, criticized several referee decisions after the game, and Bellingham echoed those concerns directly on the pitch. Spanish official Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias sent off Dean Huijsen and awarded a penalty to Atletico’s Alejandro Grimaldo, who converted to give Atleti the lead. Later, Jonathan David extended it to 2-0 before Real Madrid pulled one back through Antonio Rudiger near the end. Despite the late goal, Real Madrid left frustrated and empty-handed.
Bellingham's Messi Mention in Dispute with Romero
Bellingham’s irritation boiled over when he was initially booked for fouling Romero. After VAR review, the card was switched to Romero for a reckless challenge. Real Madrid felt that Romero deserved a red card, especially since Kang-in Lee avoided a sending off for a dangerous tackle on Federico Valverde, who might be sidelined for months due to injury.
Following the incident, Bellingham confronted Romero, and footage of their exchange quickly spread online. According to Movistar’s El Día Después, Bellingham said: "When you’re with Lionel Messi, you talk a lot. But here, nothing." It’s also reported that Bellingham called Romero a 'coward,' while Romero fired back by calling Bellingham a 'cry baby' and mocked him about "crying" during the World Cup semi-final where Argentina beat England 2-1.
After the match, Bellingham was heard shouting "two red cards, two red cards," as frustration mounted. Real Madrid has since released multiple statements, even demanding La Liga president Javier Tebas resign following his dismissive comments towards claims of bias against Real Madrid officials.
Bellingham Reveals Details About Messi Exchange
One memorable moment from the World Cup was a tense exchange between Bellingham and Messi during England's loss to Argentina. This interaction is often cited as a catalyst for Messi’s inspired comeback in that game.
In the clip, Messi appears to nod sarcastically at Bellingham’s remarks, which fans saw as a sign of disagreement. Yet Bellingham later clarified the situation (via AS), saying, "We were really just discussing a foul, actually. It wasn't anything bad... I thought there had been a foul earlier, and he said, 'What about the one on me?' And I said, 'You're strong enough to take it,' you know what I mean?"
This season, Bellingham has been among the standout performers for England at the World Cup and continues to shine for Real Madrid with three goals and three assists in eight appearances. The derby loss leaves Mourinho’s side trailing behind their rivals in La Liga, currently sitting fourth—six points behind league leaders Barcelona and just one behind Atletico Madrid—as they head into the international break.
- Match Result: Atletico Madrid 2 - 1 Real Madrid
- Key Moments: Red card for Dean Huijsen; penalty goal by Alejandro Grimaldo; second goal by Jonathan David; late goal by Antonio Rudiger
- Bellingham Stats (Current Season): 3 goals, 3 assists in 8 games
- La Liga Standings: Real Madrid 4th, 6 points behind Barcelona, 1 point behind Atletico Madrid
