Jude Bellingham: Which games could Real Madrid midfielder miss after shoulder surgery? When will he be back? Which England matches will he miss?

Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham has long been troubled by a problem with his shoulder, and he has elected to undergo surgery following the conclusion of the FIFA Club World Cup, where his side were knocked out by Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. We take a look at just how many club and country matches he could miss while he undergoes a period of rest and recovery.

Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between Real Madrid CF and Juventus Turin at Hard Rock Stadium on July 1, 2025 in Miami Gardens, United States.

Image credit: Getty Images

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham could be out until November after Real Madrid confirmed the 22-year-old has undergone shoulder surgery.

It was reported in May that the England midfielder would have the procedure once his club was no longer involved in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Spanish giants Real suffered a humbling 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals last week in the United States.

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The problem has been affecting Bellingham since 2023, requiring strapping on the shoulder to manage the injury.

The surgery was delayed due to Real’s involvement in the UEFA Champions League, as well as Euro 2024 in Germany last summer, and then the Club World Cup.

In July, Bellingham announced that he wanted to have surgery in order to play more freely.

The Spanish giants did not confirm when he would be back, but said Bellingham had "successful surgery" and that he is "beginning a period of rehabilitation".

It means Bellingham could miss out on a sizeable chunk of Xabi Alonso’s first La Liga campaign.

If his rehab is complete within three months, he could be fit for the Liga match against Getafe on October 19.

If his injury stretches beyond that, he would miss El Clasico at the Bernabeu on October 26, and a mid-November return would pencil him in for Real's game at Elche on November 23, with no domestic fixtures taking place over the previous weekend due to another international break.

Bellingham could also miss the first four Champions League rounds of the league phase, which begins on September 16.

Bellingham featured for Alonso in each of the six matches Real played in the United States this summer, before they were knocked out by PSG.

He scored 14 goals last season, which ended in disappointment as the club failed to land any major trophies in Carlo Ancelotti’s final campaign, before the Italian left and became manager of Brazil.

Real's great rivals Barcelona won the La Liga title, while Arsenal knocked Ancelotti's team out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage.