Bellingham Steals the Show as Real Madrid Cruise Past Malaga in Dominant Display

Real Madrid maintained their flawless start to the campaign with a commanding 4–0 victory over newly promoted Málaga at the Bernabéu on Sunday.

The comfortable win, making it three victories from three under José Mourinho's second stint in charge, propels Madrid to the summit of La Liga—at least temporarily, with Barcelona not due to play until Monday.

Madrid gave the home supporters nothing to grumble about from the outset as Trent Alexander-Arnold fired just over the crossbar within the first 30 seconds, immediately signaling the gulf in class between the two sides. It was fellow Englishman Jude Bellingham who broke the deadlock on 19 minutes, finishing coolly from a tight angle after a weaving, mazy run.

The No. 5 was involved in Real Madrid's second goal roughly five minutes later, though his header was ultimately credited as an own goal by Málaga goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero. Kylian Mbappé then finished emphatically on the volley from Alexander-Arnold's pinpoint cross to make it three and effectively end the contest before half-time.

Bellingham struck the woodwork in the second half as Madrid continued to bombard the Málaga goal, but the visitors' resilience held the score in place until the dying moments when substitute Arda Güler tapped in a cutback from Vinícius Júnior.

Madrid will draw plenty of confidence from their early-season form, though tougher challenges against Real Betis and then Inter in the Champions League lie ahead.

One Thing We Can't Ignore

Mourinho stoked the Ballon d'Or debate in the lead-up to this fixture, hinting—without saying so outright—that football's most prestigious individual prize should belong to Mbappé this year following his Pichichi and World Cup Golden Boot achievements. Yet based on Sunday's performance, it is Bellingham who appears to be the finest player on the planet right now.

The Englishman was at his irresistible, commanding best against Málaga, netting an early goal-of-the-season candidate after gliding past four defenders.

His impact was felt throughout the entire match and he was unfortunate not to walk away with a hat-trick—his 'second' was ruled an own goal, while he also rattled the post in the second half.

Bellingham has hit the ground running in the new club season following an impressive summer in North America. Had his spring been stronger, he could well have been a genuine Ballon d'Or contender. If he maintains this level, he will almost certainly be among the frontrunners this time next year.

Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Málaga (4-3-2-1)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Thibaut Courtois—6.6: A straightforward afternoon for Courtois, who was called upon for just a single save throughout the entire 90 minutes.

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—8.5: Visibly motivated to prove his value after being omitted from the first two matches of the season, the English right back delivered a highlight-reel display featuring a whipped assist, powerful efforts on goal, and even a committed sliding tackle.

CB: Antonio Rüdiger—7.3: The German had little to deal with on his return to the starting eleven. More demanding tests lie ahead as he competes with Ibrahima Konaté for a regular place.

CB: Dean Huijsen—7.6: The 21-year-old, who grew up in Málaga and came through the club's youth system, continues to look increasingly composed as Real Madrid's ball-playing center back.

LB: Marc Cucurella—7.7: The World Cup winner settled in well on his first home start for his new club, winning five of seven duels and completing four tackles, though he managed just one chance created.

DM: Eduardo Camavinga—7.8: Much of the pre-match discussion framed this as a pivotal audition for Camavinga under Mourinho. He delivered, though in truth this fixture is unlikely to dramatically change perceptions of the Frenchman.

DM: Federico Valverde—7.0: The skipper was characteristically composed and energetic in midfield, helping to control the tempo of the game. Mourinho has depth even without Rodri; the key lies in finding the right combination.

RW: Brahim Díaz—7.0: Brought in to replace Güler, Brahim—another product of Málaga's academy—worked hard without ever truly catching the eye on the right flank.

AM: Jude Bellingham—8.6: The Englishman's opener is among the finest goals you are likely to witness all season in La Liga, bringing back memories of his nimble footwork against Norway at this summer's World Cup.

LW: Vinícius Júnior—8.4: Led all players with four chances created from the left but was unable to get on the scoresheet himself as his fellow attackers stole the spotlight. He did provide the late assist for Güler's goal.

ST: Kylian Mbappé—8.5: Mbappé's exquisitely struck volley brought his tally to 90 goals in 106 appearances for Madrid. He had further opportunities to advance his bid for a third consecutive Pichichi in the second half.

SUB: Yan Diomande (65' for Brahim Díaz)—6.6: Still awaiting his first Real Madrid start, the young Ivorian's most notable moment was nearly conceding a penalty after a late Málaga free kick deflected off his arm. The referee's initial call was subsequently reversed following a VAR review.

SUB: Bernardo Silva (77' for Federico Valverde)—5.9: Had little to do beyond providing fresh energy in the closing minutes.

SUB: Arda Güler Silva (87' for Jude Bellingham)—7.5: Seven touches, one goal. The Turkish star demonstrated his predatory instincts to wrap up the scoring for Madrid.

Subs not used: Andriy Lunin (GK), Javi Navarro (GK), Álvaro Carreras, Mario Rivas, Ibrahima Konaté, Jorge Cestero, Alexis Ciria, Carlos Espí.

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Real Madrid's Cruise Control Win