Jude Bellingham was in no doubt about the outcome when he delivered the ball to Vinicius Junior in the Champions League final.
Bellingham picked up his first Champions League winners medal on Saturday night as Real Madrid overcame Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley. Second-half goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius saw Real win the competition for a record 15th time, but they had to work hard for it.
Dortmund were much the better side for 70 minutes and spurned great chances to take the lead through Karim Adeyemi and Niclas Fullkrug. Carvajal headed Real into the lead from a Toni Kroos corner in the 74th minute before a stray pass from Ian Maatsen gifted them a second opportunity.
Maatsen inadvertently passed to Bellingham on the edge of the penalty area and the Englishman threaded the ball past Mats Hummels to Vinicius. The Brazilian took one touch before confidently slotting the decisive goal past Gregor Kobel to spark jubilant celebrations.
It was the 24th goal of the season for Vinicius and his deadly instinct in the box was shown by the fact that Bellingham had his arms aloft in celebration before he had even shot. That sort of confidence is evident in the entire Real team and is perhaps why they had enough to beat 1997 winners Dortmund.
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“I have always dreamed of playing in these games,” Bellingham told TNT Sports. “You go through life and there are so many people saying you can't do things and days like today remind you why...When it gets hard at times you start to wonder if it's all worth it. Nights like tonight make it all worth it.
“I was okay until I saw my mum and dad's faces. The nights they could have been home at seven o'clock but they are still out at eleven or twelve taking me to football. My little brother there who I am trying to be a role model for too. It’s hard to put it into words. It’s the best night of my life.”
Jude Bellingham knew Vinicius Junior was going to score (TNT Sports)Bellingham played 132 times for Dortmund following his move from boyhood club Birmingham in 2020. He left the German side for Real in a big-money transfer last summer and paid tribute to them after the final whistle.
"I have to be honest, they were the better team in the first half," he told DAZN. "They could’ve been two or three up. ”But it’s just that character... [we can] come back to haunt you.
"The club I’m at now is so special to me and so is my old club. It wouldn’t be possible without them. I'll always be grateful and always have respect for what that club did for me."
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