Sandip G column: ‘Hey Jude’, the song that could keep soaking joyous stands of Bernabeu for years

In the joyous stands of Bernabéu, the iconic arena of Real Madrid, they passionately render the Beatles classic Hey Jude these days; several time zones and continents away, at the Flushing Meadows, the 20-year-old tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz would hum the soulful nana na naaa tune of the song that buzzed in Paul McCartney’s mind when driving from London to Weybridge to meet the five-year-old son of band-mate John Lennon, Julian, who he was close to. The newspapers in Madrid are groping for superlatives and epithets; MARCA would write: “Love at first sight”. AS would blare: “The Master of Bernabéu.” A club that does not fall too easily in love with Englishmen, has been smitten by a 20-year-old from Birmingham after six games and as many goals in just a month.

From the moment Jude Bellingham, who looks younger than 20, streaks of innocence sprinkled on his serene face, signed for the European heavyweight, there was a sense of anticipation stewing. Reels and clips of his skills had spread far and wide; the genius of him was no mystery, or carefully hidden from plain-sight. His childhood club Birmingham had retired his jersey (No 22; because his coach thought he was a No 10, 8 and 4 all rolled together), he made heads turn at the World Cup, has been accumulating goals, assists and myths during his time at Borussia Dortmund, one of the coaches at the German nursery of wunderkinds would poetically say that “he is the oldest 19-year-old” he had ever seen.

But few would have expected him to so seamlessly or swiftly emerge as the most important player of his club, Real Madrid, the most glamorous club in the world. In just a month’s time, he has been shedding his light and magic in Spain. Not just that he has netted six