Since his debut with Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham has justified the €103m price tag, making it almost impossible to discuss the best young players globally without mentioning him.
At 20, Bellingham leads La Liga's goal-scoring chart with 12 goals in 14 matches. He's taken Spanish football by storm, consistently setting himself apart whenever the Whites take the field.
His recent goal against Real Betis saw Bellingham equalling Cristiano Ronaldo's record as the only Real Madrid player in history to score 12 La Liga goals in their initial 14 games. No other Madrid player, besides these two, has achieved this feat in the opening 14 league games. This goal marked Bellingham's 16th of the season.
Regarding the game, Real Madrid aimed to continue their excellent form against Real Betis at the Benito Villamarin. However, they settled for a 1-1 draw, allowing Girona the chance to reclaim the top spot in La Liga if they manage to defeat Barcelona in the Catalan derby on Sunday.
The game in Seville was fiercely contested, with the hosts creating better chances in the first half. Ayoze Perez and Isco came close, but Andriy Lunin, surprisingly maintaining his place despite Kepa Arrizabalaga's return, made crucial saves.
At halftime, the score remained goalless, but Real Madrid broke the deadlock after 53 minutes through Jude Bellingham.
However, Los Blancos couldn't maintain their lead for long as Betis struck back with a spectacular goal from Aitor Ruibal, firing past Lunin from 25 yards out.
No further goals followed, resulting in Real Madrid dropping points in Seville for the second consecutive match (following a 1-1 draw against Sevilla in October). Girona had the opportunity to claim the top spot with a win on Sunday, while Barcelona could close the gap to just two points with a victory.