July 16, (THEWILL) — Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has undergone successful surgery on his left shoulder to correct a recurring dislocation, the Spanish club confirmed on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old England international is now set to begin a rehabilitation programme, with Spanish media projecting a 12-week recovery timeline.
Bellingham has struggled with shoulder issues since November 2023, when he first dislocated the joint during a La Liga match.
Since then, he has continued playing with a protective brace under his shirt.
However, the midfielder postponed surgery to see out Real Madrid’s Club World Cup campaign, where the club reached the semi-finals under new manager Xabi Alonso.
His absence means Bellingham will miss a number of key fixtures, including the Madrid derby against Atlético Madrid in late September and the first two group-stage matches of the 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League.
Club medics, however, expect him to return in time for the first El Clásico of the season, scheduled for late October at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Speaking during the Club World Cup, Bellingham admitted frustration over the lingering issue:
“I’ve got to the point where I’m fed up with the brace—having to tug on it, having other players tug on it, and it rearranging all the time.”
The surgery is seen as a definitive fix for a condition that has limited his range of motion and overall comfort on the pitch for nearly a year.
The injury will also sideline Bellingham from international duty, ruling him out of England’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia, slated for September 6 and 9, respectively.
His absence marks a significant blow to both club and country during the early stages of the new season, though the timing could allow him to return ahead of the campaign’s most demanding fixtures.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
