Jose Mourinho believes that Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe can play together at Real Madrid, despite the challenge of working out the right formation for them.

Jose Mourinho: Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Mbappe Can

According to Bbc.

Background

Jude Bellingham, who has just joined Real Madrid, is expected to adapt quickly to La Liga. With experience playing at international level and high technical ability, Bellingham has great potential to become one of the key players in the team. Collaboration with players like Vinicius Jr and Mbappe will greatly determine his performance in domestic and European competitions.

Why this is important

Jose Mourinho's statement regarding the potential collaboration between Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid shows the club's ambition to return to competing at the top of La Liga. These three players are stars with extraordinary abilities who can change the dynamics of the team's game. With the existing challenges, their successful collaboration could be the key to winning the title from Barcelona.

Main Points

Jose Mourinho: Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Mbappe Can.
Jose Mourinho believes that Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe can play together at Real Madrid, despite the challenge of creating the right formation for them.
Real Madrid news: Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe not 'incompatible' - BBC Sport.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho revealed that it would be difficult to find the "perfect arrangement" for Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham to play in the same team at the same time, but he insisted that the three players are not "incompatible". After a tumultuous last season, amid fan discontent and alleged infighting at the Bernabeu, Mourinho needs his three stars to reclaim the La Liga title from Barcelona who have won it two years in a row.

Mourinho, who is returning to Real for the second time after his previous spell ended in 2013, admitted he faced a "difficult" task in getting the three players into the starting eleven. In a press conference ahead of their La Liga opener against Espanyol on Saturday, Mourinho said: "They are extraordinary players and extraordinary players want to play with extraordinary players. Top players get frustrated when playing with teammates who are not at their level. The best want to play with the best. After tactical adjustments, it might be a little more difficult."

Before facing Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals last season, Jude Bellingham once stated that "it will be difficult" to perform at his best when he, Mbappe and Vinicius are playing together on the pitch. Bellingham explained, "It's difficult, because I still feel there are a lot of games where we really collaborate well. It can be difficult when we're all on the same side. We're flexible, we have the freedom to move, sometimes it can be a bit chaotic, but with these two, you have to trust their abilities."

Mourinho added that England's Bellingham, France's Mbappe and Brazil's Vinicius all played in "perfect" roles for their countries during the World Cup, but admitted that replicating that in Madrid this season would be a more challenging task. "It's more difficult for me to find the perfect arrangement for these three players. It's more difficult. But we are here. I want all three to feel comfortable on the pitch together," he said.

"I really believe that you would say it's amazing when these three play together because they are high-quality players, and I don't think their positions are incompatible. I really believe that we will have a great season with them."

With a front line consisting of Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, it shouldn't be difficult to score goals. These individuals had no trouble scoring goals last season. Mbappe scored 42 goals in all competitions, while Vinicius contributed 22 goals. The bigger issue is how these pieces fit together. In 2024-25, Mbappe will be the spearhead with Vinicius playing from the left wing, but the two will often move towards the same area. Last season, the attack became more flexible, with Bellingham dropping deeper to help balance the team, but that reduced his influence near goal and didn't completely solve the spacing problem in front of him.

This is one of the biggest tactical puzzles for Mourinho. Mbappe, who returned from the World Cup having scored 10 goals for France, is most dangerous when attacking the space behind the defence. Meanwhile, Vinicius remains most effective when starting on the left wing, where he can isolate defenders and create one-on-one duels. Creating clearer separation between the two could also allow Bellingham to move closer to goal again.

The England midfielder scored eight goals and provided five assists in 40 appearances for Madrid last season, a significant drop from the 23 goals and 13 assists he recorded during his first campaign at the Bernabeu. Mourinho has previously shown that he can accommodate some elite strikers. His 2011-12 Madrid team, which featured Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain, set a La Liga record with 121 goals in 38 games.

And this time, there's another option. Madrid have made 19-year-old Yan Diomande a key signing following his breakthrough at RB Leipzig. Only Lamine Yamal completed more dribbles in Europe's top five leagues last season than the Ivorian winger with 118 dribbles. He also offers something without the ball. Diomande claimed possession in the opposition's final third 27 times, a total better than just nine players in those leagues.

The challenge for Mourinho is therefore the impossibility of finding enough attacking quality. This will provide enough structure for those qualities to develop. Whatever solution Mourinho finds to get the trio into the squad, he knows he must deliver success after two tumultuous seasons, three failed coaches and no silverware. In his previous tenure at Real between 2010 and 2013, Mourinho won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Supercopa.

"We need to be a team, work well, and not try to negotiate things that cannot be negotiated. Commitment must be present every minute of every match," said Mourinho. "We have to overcome moments of frustration that will arise from negative results or personal frustration." The comments came after Mourinho arrived at the club with a number of issues to address, including the relationship between midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, who clashed last season in a dressing room row that ended with the Uruguayan midfielder being taken to hospital with a head injury. Real revealed that the two had "mutually apologized, to the club and to their colleagues" and were fined 500,000 euros each.

"I come with a lot of information. I have been here for three years and have my basic contacts," said Mourinho. "I came to know many things, not just the situation that occurred between Tchouameni and Federico. But I decided to start from the beginning. What I saw was not about peace – it was about normality, friendship and cooperation. It was as if nothing had ever happened.",

What happened next

Mourinho is expected to make tactical adjustments to integrate the three players into the team formation. The opening La Liga match against Espanyol will be an initial test for Mourinho to find the right balance. If successful, this could be a promising start for Real Madrid in their pursuit of the La Liga title this season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Jose Mourinho say about Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Mbappe?

Jose Mourinho said it would be difficult to find the 'perfect arrangement' for Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham to play together, but he insisted the three players were not 'incompatible'.

Why does Mourinho feel the need to manage these three players?

Mourinho feels the need to organize these three players to reclaim the La Liga title from Barcelona after a last season filled with chaos and fan dissatisfaction.

Who confirmed that the three players are incompatible?

Jose Mourinho confirmed that Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham are not incompatible and can play together.

What challenges did Mourinho face in getting the three players into the team?

Mourinho faces a 'difficult' challenge in including the three players in the starting eleven.

What has Jude Bellingham said about playing alongside Mbappe and Vinicius?

Jude Bellingham once stated that 'it will be difficult' to perform at his best when he, Mbappe and Vinicius are playing together on the pitch.

Jose Mourinho: Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Mbappe can