Not Zidane: Ancelotti compares Bellingham to his popular pupil

The impression that Kaka made on Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti upon his arrival at Milan is comparable to the astonishment that Jude Bellingham has inspired.

Bellingham made history as the first player in Real Madrid‘s history to score in each of his four European games after joining from Borussia Dortmund in the summer. With his goal, his team went up 2-1 against Napoli and went on to win 4-2, securing first place in the UEFA Champions League Group C.

This was his 15th goal in 16 overall games, and the 20-year-old is settling into his new role with the Spanish powerhouses. Beyond that, he seems to be there for Real Madrid at whatever moment they need him.

Ancelotti compared Bellingham first to Zidane, now Kaka

The youngster’s goalscoring heroics prompted the Italian boss to draw comparisons between the Englishman and Kaka, a superstar who played for AC Milan in the early 2000s.

The 64-year-old was asked to choose between Johan Cruyff, Alfredo di Stefano, and Zinedine Zidane as a comparison for Bellingham at his most recent news conference. A different response came from the Italian.

“I have never seen Di Stefano play. In the previous press conference, I made the comparison with Zidane… and… well, I am surprised by him, I would say the closest thing is like the first time I saw Kaka. I’m not saying that he is similar to him, but he has similarities to Kaka.”

Because of his early experiences in Madrid, Bellingham will inevitably be compared to the greatest players soccer has ever produced. While the midfielder’s goals have garnered most of the attention, Ancelotti is right to add that his work rate and overall performance have been remarkable as well.

“No, I don’t think we have ever asked Bellingham to score goals. He is doing it because he has this fantastic ability to reach the opponent’s area at the right time. The respect we have for him is for the work he does… not for the goals.

“He is greatly respected for what he does on the field, which goes far beyond goals. He is a humble and hardworking boy. Entering the Madrid dressing room is easy”, he added.

Italian boss helped shape one of the best attacking midfielders

How, however, did Ancelotti see potential in him and decide to make him Kaka 2.0? Moving forward, it will be Bellingham’s job to link the midfield with the offense. Being acquainted with the position from developing Ricardo Kaka, one of the greatest offensive midfielders of all time, Ancelotti is well-suited to the demanding task.

When it comes to the particular position on the field, Kaka is right up there with the best of them. In Carlo Ancelotti’s successful tenure at AC Milan, he was a sensation. In his heyday, he was a superb midfielder who tormented opponents with his speed, agility, and ability.

The experienced manager brought out the best in the Brazilian, who went on to become a luminary in the sport. When Kaka first started, however, the manager had doubts about his abilities. To be more specific, he did not see a soccer player but rather an Erasmus student in the Brazilian.

According to his book, ’Preferisco la Coppa’, that was Ancelotti’s first impression of the then-21-year-old rising star. Nevertheless, his perspective swiftly shifted upon seeing the Brazilian skillfully handling the ball.

The two shared several trophies, including the Champions League, Serie A, the FIFA Club World Cup, the Supercoppa Italiana, and the UEFA Super Cup. During the Italian’s tenure as a Rossoneri coach, the 2007 Ballon d’Or winner scored 95 goals in 270 games.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.