Jude Bellingham equals Lionel Messi Champions League record after starring in Real Madrid's 5-1 win over Red Bull Salzburg
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Jude Bellingham has equalled one of Lionel Messi's legendary Champions League records after playing a starring role in Real Madrid's 5-1 demolition job of RB Salzburg. The England international appears to have firmly put early season struggles behind him as Madrid continue to impress since the turn of the year and sit top of the LaLiga standings.
![[Messi previously recorded 24 goal contributions in the Champions League before the age of 22 at Barcelona]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/23/00/94414547-14315325-image-a-47_1737590450822.jpg)
However, the reigning champions have struggled in the newly-formatted Champions League this season and desperately needed to beat Salzburg to remain in with a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages automatically. Madrid are currently 16th in the Champions League standings and will have to reach the next stages of the competition via a playoff contest if they fail to climb into the top eight when they play Brest.
![[Bellingham starred on Wednesday evening as Madrid beat RB Salzburg 5-1 in the league phase of the competition]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/22/23/94414489-14315325-image-a-44_1737590396849.jpg)
Bellingham is integral to those efforts and having again been given more creative licence to get higher up the pitch than what Carlo Ancelotti was permitting earlier in the season, is now unlocking opposition defences. Against Salzburg, Bellingham registered two assists chipping in both of Rodrygo's goals as Madrid took control of the tie in the first-half.
![[Bellingham provided two assists in the dominant win over Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/23/00/94414487-14315325-image-a-46_1737590444316.jpg)
Jude Bellingham has equalled one of Lionel Messi 's legendary Champions League records. Messi previously recorded 24 goal contributions in the Champions League before the age of 22 at Barcelona. Bellingham starred on Wednesday evening as Madrid beat RB Salzburg 5-1 in the league phase of the competition.
![[Bellingham's team-mate Kylian Mbappe (pictured) holds the record for the most goal contributions before the age of 21 in the competition at 37]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/23/00/94414603-14315325-image-a-48_1737590488225.jpg)
