According to AS, Bellingham's outstanding performance against Real Sociedad stems from his rigorous training during the winter break.

Mourinho has taken a deliberate approach to building the team, recognizing that midfield is where the battle is won. In early friendly matches, he tested Güler while presenting challenges for Bellingham to overcome.

This revealed Mourinho's vision for Bellingham: an attacking midfielder with exceptional positional intelligence and freedom to roam, capable of dropping deep to facilitate possession and positioning himself to create numerical advantages in attack.

When a player possesses sufficient talent to succeed, doubt becomes irrelevant. Against Real Sociedad, Bellingham delivered a commanding display, creating the second-most chances (4, one fewer than Güler), completing the most dribbles (3), and ranking third in tackles (4).

He was utterly dominant, excelling in both attacking and defensive phases—combining incisive play with team coordination and defensive stability. He led in duels won (9) and posted the highest pass completion rate among attacking players overall (95.2%) and in the final third (92.3%).

Perhaps most significantly, his physical conditioning has improved dramatically compared to his earlier season form. The Valdebebas training complex has noted his exceptional fitness levels, widely attributed to his dedicated training over the holiday period.

Mourinho himself praised this transformation at his press conference, pointedly comparing Bellingham's sustained energy to Oyarzabal—another substitute from the World Cup—who lasted less than an hour before being replaced, describing Bellingham's improvement as a "quantum leap in fitness."

This elevated physical state has made him a formidable presence defensively, and his example is spreading throughout the squad. It has been years since watching a star player compete with a finalist's hunger; that fighting spirit proves contagious.

His influence extends beyond statistics: though not among the four captains, he is a genuine team leader—a composed presence who commands the dressing room when it matters, offering genuine praise for teammates' performances and barking instructions without hesitation.

Mourinho recognizes far more than his talent; he sees his character and leadership, which are vital to team cohesion. Unless injury or rotation concerns arise, Bellingham will be part of the starting eleven. This is Mourinho's clear stance.

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