Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has berated the pitches at the Club World Cup, saying the pitches are not great at all after Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Pachuca.
The English midfielder opened his goals account in the competition with the first goal for Real Madrid before goals from Arda Guler, and Federico Valverde completed the victory.
Despite the victory, Bellingham raised concerns about the playing surface of the pitches in the United States of America.
He said: “The pitches aren’t great at all. It holds the ball up. The ball barely bounces.
“It’s tough on the knees as well. Hopefully, it’s something that someone will look at, going into next year.
“It’s important we protect the players as well as giving the fans a great spectacle and giving them great games.”
The former Dortmund midfielder also complained about fatigue.
Bellingham said: “I’m definitely feeling it [the fatigue]. With the new kits, new managers and new players coming, it probably kids you into thinking it’s a new season.
“But you’ve already got 50 to 60 games in your legs and in this heat, you can definitely feel it.
“But the way I and the team are approaching it is that it’s five more games of graft and everything we’ve got to try and bring home another title.”
Bellingham has now played a whopping 61 games in all competitions for Real Madrid this season.
FIFA rules say that this year’s Club World Cup and the 2026 World Cup must be played on natural grass after further backlash last summer when the United States hosted the Copa America.
The pitch of the Met Life Stadium, which will host the final on 13 July, was heavily criticised by Palmeiras and Porto after they played out a goalless draw, being called “dry” and “slow” before conditions improved after rain hit New Jersey.
The stadium is usually shared by the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets, with the two teams playing on artificial turf.
Up next for Real Madrid is a clash against Salzburg in their last group match of the competition, they currently have four points from two games.
