According to a report by Madrid Universal on Wednesday November 4, 2026, Liverpool and England legend Steven Gerrard has showered Jude Bellingham with praise after the Real Madrid midfielder reached an impressive 50-goal milestone for the Spanish giants.

Bellingham achieved the landmark during Real Madrid's 3-0 victory over Racing Santander, taking his tally to 50 goals in just 154 appearances since joining the club from Borussia Dortmund in 2023.

The 23-year-old's achievement is particularly impressive because he has surpassed the goalscoring record of legendary French midfielder Zinedine Zidane, who scored 49 goals in 227 appearances for Real Madrid.

Reacting to the statistic on The Overlap, Gerrard expressed his admiration for Bellingham and highlighted the significance of reaching the milestone in fewer appearances than Zidane.

The former Liverpool captain said: "I read that Jude Bellingham scored 50 goals for Real Madrid faster than Zinedine Zidane.

"Wow. That alone tells you the level of Jude. Zidane is my favourite player. Jude wears the number 5 and produces consistently for Real Madrid."

Gerrard also praised Bellingham's mentality, describing his hunger and competitive nature as some of the qualities that make him an outstanding footballer.

"I love Jude Bellingham as a player. I love his hunger and competitiveness. He was fabulous in the World Cup," the former England international added.

The former Liverpool midfielder went further by revealing that Bellingham would automatically earn a place in his ideal World XI.

"If I were a coach, Jude Bellingham would be in my World XI. That's how high I rate him," Gerrard stated.

However, Gerrard also expressed surprise over Bellingham's position in the 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings.

The Real Madrid midfielder finished 11th in the voting, with Gerrard admitting that he expected the England international to finish inside the top 10.

"I can't believe Jude Bellingham was 11th in the Ballon d'Or. I thought he'd be in the top 10," he said.

Meanwhile, Bellingham has received further recognition after being named among the 26 finalists for the 2026 FIFPRO Men's World 11.

The shortlist, which is determined through votes from professional footballers, recognises performances between August 2025 and July 2026.

His Real Madrid teammates Kylian Mbappe and Thibaut Courtois have also been nominated, alongside Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella.

The final FIFPRO Men's World 11 team is scheduled to be announced on November 9.