Mbappé-Bellingham: Real Madrid sets the record straight

Rumors of a strained relationship between Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham have circulated for months. Now, the two players — and Real Madrid themselves — appear to have responded in their own way.

For quite some time, the relationship between Mbappé and Bellingham has been the subject of intense speculation in Spain. Several reports have suggested that there are significant tensions between the two Real Madrid stars, including an alleged disagreement that reportedly took place inside the dressing room last season.

According to those reports, Mbappé addressed his teammates at half-time during a match against Levante, attempting to motivate the squad and demand a stronger performance. Bellingham is said to have responded by pointing out that Mbappé himself was also having a difficult game and therefore should not be demanding more from his teammates without first improving his own performance.

The exchange reportedly led to a private conversation between the two players afterward.

Since then, rumors of a possible rift have continued to surface. During the most recent World Cup, another moment attracted considerable attention. France and England faced each other in the third-place playoff, and cameras appeared to capture Bellingham and Mbappé walking past each other without exchanging a greeting or showing any particular sign of affection.

For those convinced that there was tension between them, the images only strengthened the speculation.

A hug that speaks volumes

However, what happened on the pitch against Espanyol painted a completely different picture.

Bellingham scored Real Madrid’s opening goal of the match with an impressive header. After finding the back of the net, the England international was immediately surrounded by his teammates as they celebrated the first goal of the new La Liga campaign.

Among those who rushed over was Mbappé.

The French forward stood directly in front of Bellingham with his fists clenched in celebration before the two players embraced warmly. It was a short moment, but one that quickly attracted attention given everything that has been said about their relationship over the past few months.

Jude Bellingham y Kylian Mbappé, los que tenemos escuchando a la prensa decir 6 meses que se ODIAN. 😂 pic.twitter.com/iPTGbfp4Xs

— MT2 (@madrid_total2) August 23, 2026

Real Madrid also appeared determined to highlight the scene.

During and after the match, the Spanish giants repeatedly shared pictures and footage of Mbappé and Bellingham celebrating together on their official social media accounts. Several images showed Mbappé congratulating the English midfielder following his goal, while others focused specifically on the embrace between the two stars.

It looked like a clear message from the club.

Rather than responding directly to the rumors through an official statement, Real Madrid allowed the images to speak for themselves. The celebration suggested that, whatever disagreements may or may not have happened in the past, the two players are capable of putting those moments behind them and working together on the pitch.

In a dressing room filled with major personalities and world-class players, occasional disagreements are hardly unusual. But the idea that Mbappé and Bellingham cannot stand each other now appears much more difficult to defend.

At Espanyol, their reaction told a very different story: two of Real Madrid’s biggest stars celebrating together, united by the same objective and determined to help the club succeed this season.