- The English international equaled one of Lionel Messi's records
- Jude Bellingham provided two assists in Real Madrid's 5-1 victory over Salzburg
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Jude Bellingham has equaled one of Lionel Messi's legendary Champions League records after playing a starring role in Real Madrid's 5-1 demolition of RB Salzburg.
The England international appears to have his early-season problems firmly behind him as Madrid continue to impress since the turn of the year and top the LaLiga table.
However, the defending champions have struggled in the newly formatted Champions League this season and desperately needed to beat Salzburg to remain in contention for automatic qualification for the knockout stages.
Madrid are currently 16th in the Champions League standings and will have to reach the next stages of the competition through a playoff match if they fail to make it into the top eight when they play Brest.
Bellingham is an integral part of those efforts and, having once again been given more creative license to move higher up the pitch than Carlo Ancelotti allowed him earlier in the season, he is now unlocking opposition defences.
Against Salzburg, Bellingham recorded two assists contributing to Rodrygo's two goals and Madrid took control of the tie in the first half.
Jude Bellingham has equaled one of Lionel Messi's legendary records in the Champions League
Messi previously recorded 24 goal contributions in the Champions League before his 22nd year at Barcelona.
Bellingham starred on Wednesday night as Madrid beat RB Salzburg 5-1 in the league phase of the competition.
Those assists put Bellingham on the same level as Argentina and Barcelona legend Messi in Champions League goal contributions for players aged 21 and under.
The Madrid superstar already has 24 goal contributions in the Champions League at the age of 21 years, six months and 24 days.
Messi previously scored 17 goals and recorded seven assists at the age of 21 or younger during his breakthrough years at Barcelona.
However, two current hugely successful names have already broken those records, and one of them played alongside Bellingham in Madrid.
Bellingham provided two assists in the dominant victory over Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Bellingham teammate Kylian Mbappé (pictured) holds the record for most goal contributions under the age of 21 in the competition: 37.
Manchester City's Erling Haaland is second in the standings with 26 goals before his 22nd birthday.
But Kylian Mbappé, who scored a goal in Madrid's victory over Salzburg, previously managed 37 contributions at the same age and holds the record for most by players under 21.
Bellingham has now contributed 32 goals and 22 assists since moving to the Santiago Bernabéu in the summer of 2023.
His impressive efforts last season played a vital role in helping Madrid win the Champions League and LaLiga titles during his debut year in Spain.
