Bellingham Made the Right Call Choosing Real Madrid

City and Madrid face off again on Wednesday in a decisive Champions League knockout clash, with Madrid returning to the Bernabeu holding a 3-2 first-leg advantage. Guardiola is surely still frustrated that Bellingham, who sealed Madrid’s late winner at the Etihad, will be wearing white instead of City blue just as he had hoped.

Bellingham passed up the opportunity to join the reigning English and European champions, choosing not to work under Guardiola—one of football’s greatest managers, likely for good. Instead, he embraced the challenge of a demanding and politically charged club, where both the language and culture were unfamiliar to the ambitious young star.

The closest he has come to acknowledging City’s offer was when he admitted: “Guided by my family, I spoke to many clubs in my final season at Dortmund … but when Madrid called, I didn’t have to think twice.”