Jude Bellingham Targets Cristian Romero with Messi Reference in Madrid Derby Clash

During Sunday's Madrid derby, Jude Bellingham directed a sharp comment at Cristian Romero, invoking Lionel Messi in the middle of their confrontation. The match ended with Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid beating Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid 2-1 in a controversial encounter.

Real Madrid's coach criticized refereeing errors after the game, a sentiment echoed by Bellingham on the field. Spanish referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias sent off Real's Dean Huijsen and awarded Atleti a penalty converted by Alejandro Grimaldo. Later, Jonathan David extended Atleti's lead, though Antonio Rudiger pulled one back for Real near the end.

Bellingham Calls Out Romero Post-Match

The midfielder’s frustration boiled over especially after he was booked for fouling Romero. After VAR review, the booking was switched to Romero instead. Real felt Romero’s tackle was severe enough for a red card, similar to Kang-in Lee’s ankle-high challenge on Federico Valverde, which went unpunished and might cause Valverde a lengthy absence.

Bellingham confronted Romero about the tackle, sparking a viral exchange caught on camera. According to Movistar’s El Día Después, Bellingham said: "When you’re with Lionel Messi, you talk a lot. But here, nothing." It’s reported Bellingham called Romero a 'coward,' while Romero replied by labeling Bellingham a 'cry baby' and mocked him for crying during Argentina's World Cup semi-final win over England.

After the match, Bellingham shouted "two red cards, two red cards," reflecting Real's frustration. Real Madrid has since demanded La Liga president Javier Tebas resign following his dismissive comments toward claims of referee bias against Real Madrid.

World Cup Clip Sheds Light on Bellingham and Messi Interaction

A key moment from the World Cup replayed often shows Bellingham and Messi exchanging words during England’s loss to Argentina. Fans viewed it as a tense disagreement possibly spurring Messi to lead his team to victory.

"We were really just discussing a foul, actually. It wasn't anything bad... I thought there had been a foul earlier, and he said, 'What about the one on me?' And I said, 'You're strong enough to take it,' you know what I mean?" Bellingham told AS.

Bellingham enjoyed a standout World Cup performance and continues to impress at Real Madrid this season, scoring three goals and assisting three times in eight matches.

The recent derby defeat leaves Mourinho’s squad in fourth place, trailing leaders Barcelona by six points and sitting just one point behind Atletico Madrid ahead of the international break.

• Match Result: Atletico Madrid 2 - 1 Real Madrid
• Key Events: Dean Huijsen sent off; penalty scored by Alejandro Grimaldo; goals by Jonathan David and Antonio Rudiger
• Bellingham Stats This Season: 3 goals, 3 assists in 8 games
• La Liga Standings (Post-Match): Barcelona 1st, Atletico Madrid 3rd, Real Madrid 4th