Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham confirmed on Sunday, June 22, 2025, that he will undergo surgery to address a long-standing shoulder issue after the conclusion of the Club World Cup in the United States.

The 21-year-old, who has been managing the injury since 2023, has played through discomfort for both club and country. Real Madrid have scheduled the operation to follow the tournament, which concludes later June 2025.

Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund earlier in the 2023 transfer season, has frequently been seen wearing strapping on his shoulder during matches. The injury first flared up in a match against Rayo Vallecano, forcing him to miss two games for both Real Madrid and England late in 2023.

Speaking after Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Mexico’s Pachuca in the Club World Cup, Bellingham explained his decision to proceed with surgery.

“I’ve reached the point where the pain isn’t so bad, but I was sick of playing with the sling,” he told reporters.

“I’m losing a lot of weight from sweating so much, and I’ve decided that I’ll have surgery after the tournament. I’ve been waiting for a long time, and my patience is running out, but the physios and doctors have been incredible. I just want to feel free,” he added.

The England international has been struggling with discomfort after dislocating it in a LaLiga match in November 2023, and playing with a brace under his shirt since then.

With Madrid keen on securing Club World Cup victory, they scheduled the operation for after the final, with Bellingham potentially missing the start of the LaLiga season as he recovers.

“I’ve got the point where… I’m fed up with the brace, and having to tug on it and having (other) players tug on it, and it rearranging all the time,” Bellingham told DAZN after Real Madrid beat Pachuca 3-1 in Charlotte.

“I’ve got a surgery scheduled for after the tournament, I think we scheduled it a few days after the final obviously, so I’ll go and do the surgery and get it fixed.

 Despite his discomfort, Bellingham has been a key figure for Real Madrid since joining the club in the summer of 2023 from Borussia Dortmund, helping the Spanish giants win the LaLiga and Champions League double in his first campaign. The timeline for Bellingham’s return remains unclear.