Jude Bellingham has equaled one of Lionel Messi's legendary Champions League records after starring in Real Madrid's 5-1 demolition of RB Salzburg.
The England international appears to have put his early season struggles behind him as Madrid continues to impress since the turn of the year and top the LaLiga table.
However, the reigning champions have struggled this season in the newly created Champions League and desperately needed to beat Salzburg to have a chance of automatic qualification to the knockout stages.
Madrid currently sit 16th in the Champions League table and will have to reach the next stages of the competition via a play-off match if they fail to climb into the top eight when they play Brest.
Bellingham is an integral part of these efforts and having once again been given more creative freedom to move higher up the pitch than Carlo Ancelotti allowed earlier this season, he is now unlocking opposition defences.
Against Salzburg, Bellingham registered two assists to both of Rodrygo's goals as Madrid took control of the tie in the first half.
Those assists put Bellingham level with Argentina and Barcelona legend Messi in goal contributions in the Champions League for players aged 21 and under.
The Madrid superstar now has 24 goals in the Champions League between the ages of 21 years, six months and 24 days.
Messi previously scored 17 goals and registered seven assists at the age of 21 or younger during his breakthrough years at Barcelona.
However, two current blockbuster names have already broken these records, with one of the duo playing alongside Bellingham in Madrid.
Manchester City's Erling Haaland is second in the standings after scoring 26 goals before turning 22.
But Kylian Mbappe – who scored once in Madrid's victory over Salzburg – previously made 37 contributions at the same age and holds the record for most under-21s.
Bellingham has now scored 32 goals and 22 assists since moving to the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2023.
His stunning efforts last season played a crucial role in helping Madrid win both the Champions League and LaLiga titles in his debut year in Spain.
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