Real Madrid faced Malaga this Sunday in the third round of La Liga. José Mourinho’s men confirmed their excellent start to the season with another victory. Here are the ratings given by our editorial team to the Madrid players after the match.
| Player | Rating | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Courtois | 6.5 | A relatively quiet evening for the Belgian goalkeeper. He was saved by the post in the first half and only had two or three interventions to make throughout the match. Solid when called upon. |
| Trent | 7.5 | A very impressive first start for the Englishman. He was rarely troubled defensively, read the game very well and provided an extra attacking option. He also delivered an assist for Mbappé. |
| Rüdiger | 6.5 | Serious and composed throughout. He did not have too much work to do, but handled everything that came his way efficiently. |
| Huijsen | 6.5 | The only defender to keep his place from the previous starting XI, Madrid’s number 4 produced another solid display. Very few mistakes, including in the build-up. |
| Cucurella | 6.5 | Carreras had not been poor in the opening games, but Cucurella clearly raised the level. Very difficult to beat and extremely aggressive defensively, just as he was at the World Cup. |
| Camavinga | 7 | Not everything was perfect and there was still some wastefulness on the ball, but he earned plenty of credit on his first start of the season. Excellent work in ball recovery. |
| Valverde | 7.5 | Continuing in the same vein as his opening games. The captain once again led by example with his intensity, work rate and commitment. |
| ⭐️ Bellingham | 8 | Man of the match. He made life easier for his team by scoring a sensational goal early in the game before forcing an own goal. Outstanding in the first half, although he was much quieter after the break. |
| Brahim Diaz | 6 | He played a part in Real Madrid’s second goal and made himself available constantly, often operating like an extra midfielder. He was only missing that final spark. |
| Vinicius Junior | 6 | Impeccable in terms of effort and defensive tracking, which is a very positive sign. However, much more is expected from the Brazilian in attack, where his performance was relatively limited. |
| Kylian Mbappé | 7 | The Frenchman was involved in the build-up to the second goal and eventually scored his fourth goal of the season. Another performance in line with his current standards. |
| José Mourinho | 6.5 | Three games, three wins and nine points from nine. The most important thing is already there. The team still has plenty to improve, but the collective spirit, attacking efficiency and defensive solidity shown in the first half were encouraging. The second half was much more uneventful. |
Bellingham decisive once again
The standout player of the match was once again Jude Bellingham. The England international showed just how important he has become in José Mourinho’s system. His superb early goal gave Real Madrid control of the contest, before he played another major role in the move that resulted in an own goal.
Behind him, Trent also made a very strong impression. On his first start of the season, the former Liverpool defender showed that he can add a lot to Real Madrid’s attacking play without weakening the team defensively.
In midfield, Camavinga and Valverde brought intensity, energy and aggression, while Mbappé continued his excellent start to the campaign by scoring his fourth goal of the season.
There were still some areas for improvement. Vinicius Junior remained relatively quiet in the final third, while Real Madrid’s second-half performance was far less convincing than their first-half display.
Even so, Mourinho can hardly complain about the overall picture. After three La Liga matches, Real Madrid have three victories, nine points and a team that appears to be gradually growing stronger with every game.
🚨🗣️ Jude Bellingham: "Right now, I feel like I have more freedom in a way, I have the freedom to move up or down as needed. I'm enjoying it a lot, and that's why I'm performing well." pic.twitter.com/gBtfjBuQxz
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) August 30, 2026
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