Carlo Ancelotti has explained the comparison he's made between Jude Bellingham and ex-Real Madrid star Kaka.
The Madrid manager recently stated that the "closest" player to the in-form Bellingham that he's ever seen is 2007 Ballon d'Or winner Kaka and, ahead of Real Madrid's clash with Union Berlin in the UEFA Champions League, Ancelotti has been asked to explain the comparison.
Ancelotti revealed his belief that Bellingham is better "without the ball" than Kaka was.
"Kaka got into the box a lot with the ball. He didn't have as much quality to get there without the ball, like Bellingham. We play without a fixed nine and in the box there is more space to finish," said Ancelotti at his pre-match press conference.
"With Kaka the system was different, but in general Kaka was very good on the ball and Bellingham's movement off the ball is very effective."
The Brazilian legend enjoyed the best years of his career as part of Ancelotti's all-conquering AC Milan team in the mid-2000s, winning the UEFA Champions League and a Ballon d'Or in 2007. Kaka was particularly known for his ability to score goals from an attacking midfield role, bagging over 15 in all competitions in four of his six seasons at San Siro before making a big money move to Madrid.
While Kaka didn't ever quite find that goalscoring touch in Spain, he did manage to win a La Liga title and a Copa del Rey during his four seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Like Kaka, Bellingham is currently enjoying a stunning run of form under Ancelotti. The England star has scored 16 goals in 16 games since joining from Borussia Dortmund in the summer. He even broke the record for most goals scored by a Real Madrid player in their first 15 games at the club recently, besting both Alfredo Di Stefano and Cristiano by bagging 14 across those appearances.
The 20-year-old's form, has firmly cemented his place among the best footballers in the world and has made him an early contender for the 2024 Ballon d'Or award.
