Jude Bellingham Set to Miss Start of 2025-26 Season Following Shoulder Surgery

Real Madrid Star to Undergo Surgery Post-Club World Cup

Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham is expected to miss the beginning of the 2025-26 football season due to scheduled shoulder surgery following this summer’s Club World Cup in the United States.

The 21-year-old has been managing a long-standing shoulder issue since 2023, and the club has now decided it is time for a medical intervention to ensure long-term recovery.

Persistent Shoulder Injury Finally Requires Surgical Fix

Bellingham’s shoulder troubles began after a collision in a match against Rayo Vallecano in late 2023. Since then, he has often been seen wearing protective strapping while representing both Real Madrid and the England national team.

Despite missing a couple of games at the time, the injury persisted through the 2024-25 season. Real Madrid’s medical team has confirmed that the surgery will take place once Bellingham concludes his commitments at the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, which runs from 15 June to 13 July in the United States.

Sidelined for Preseason and Season Opener

The recovery timeline for the surgery means that Bellingham is likely to miss the entirety of Real Madrid’s preseason as well as the first six weeks of the 2025-26 campaign. This setback will also see him ruled out of England’s World Cup qualifiers in September against Andorra and Serbia.

The absence will be keenly felt by both club and country, especially given Bellingham’s central role in midfield.

England Manager Faces Selection Dilemma Ahead of June Fixtures

With England scheduled to face Andorra in a World Cup qualifier and Senegal in a friendly this June, national team boss Thomas Tuchel is set to announce his squad on Friday. A major question mark lingers over whether players involved in the Club World Cup will be included in the national lineup.

Bellingham’s situation will be a focal point, especially as his summer will now be bookended by competitive international club action and a recovery period.

A Tale of Two Seasons in Spain for Bellingham

After his £115 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund in 2023, Bellingham quickly became one of La Liga’s standout performers. In his debut season, he notched 23 goals in 43 appearances, playing a pivotal role in Real Madrid’s successful La Liga and Champions League campaigns.

However, the 2024-25 season saw a dip in form, attributed partly to his lingering shoulder issues. He managed just 14 goals in 52 games, and Madrid relinquished the league title to Barcelona while also crashing out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals to Arsenal.

What’s Next for Jude Bellingham?

Bellingham’s surgery signals a necessary pause in an otherwise meteoric rise in his club and international career. While the setback is untimely, especially ahead of a crucial qualifying window for England, it also presents an opportunity for the young midfielder to return stronger and fully fit for the latter part of the season.

Real Madrid and England fans will be hopeful that the operation marks the end of his shoulder troubles and the beginning of another chapter filled with top-level performances.

Jude Bellingham to Miss Season After Shoulder Surgery.