🏟️Jude Bellingham applied for non-British passport to get around strict transfer rule before signing for Real Madrid

around strict transfer rule before signing for Real Madrid

Bellingham used a clever loophole.

Ryan Smart

Ryan Smart

Jude Bellingham reportedly applied for a non-UK passport to bypass a strict La Liga rule upon signing for Real Madrid.

The England midfielder signed for Real for an initial fee of over €103 million last summer.

He scored 23 goals in all competitions in his debut campaign, and won La Liga and the Champions League.

The 21-year-old has missed the start of this campaign, and England’s Nations League matches, through a rare muscle injury.

His absence meant he was unavailable to represent the Three Lions against Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

And he has a connection to Ireland that fans may not know about.

He qualified to play for Ireland through his paternal grandmother, although the Birmingham-born midfielder decided to play for the country of his birth instead.

But he did use his Irish heritage upon signing for Real last summer.

La Liga matchday squads are only allowed to contain three non-EU players, out of a total of five in the first team squad.

British players now count as non-EU due to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, which officially came into force in February 2020.

Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham pictured –

Getty

While Bellingham’s situation wasn’t exactly a major issue for Los Blancos – they had all three non-EU slots available at the time – the midfielder was able to use a loophole to ensure that Real could sign non-EU players if they so desired without him filling a spot.Therefore, as per The Athletic, the Spanish giants asked Bellingham to apply for an Irish passport – which he was successfully granted.

He is not the only player to ‘exploit’ the loophole, with Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher – who also has Irish heritage – doing likewise when he arrived in Spain from Chelsea last summer.Jude Bellingham reportedly used a clever loophole to bypass a strict La Liga rule regarding non-EU players upon signing for Real Madrid. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, British players are now considered non-EU citizens under La Liga’s regulations. Teams are restricted to including only three non-EU players in their matchday squads, out of a total of five in the first-team squad.

At the time of Bellingham’s transfer to Real Madrid for over €103 million, Los Blancos had all three non-EU slots available. However, to keep those slots open for potential future signings, Real Madrid asked Bellingham to apply for an Irish passport due to his Irish heritage through his paternal grandmother. The midfielder successfully obtained the passport, allowing him to be considered an EU player under La Liga’s rules.

This move ensured that Bellingham did not count toward the club’s non-EU player quota, giving Real Madrid more flexibility in their transfer strategies. Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher also used a similar loophole when he moved from Chelsea to Spain, taking advantage of his Irish heritage to secure an Irish passport.