Clarence Seedorf lauds Mbappe and Bellingham at World Cup

Former Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf praised Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast, saying he is “in awe” of their World Cup performances and defending Mbappe against criticism of his defensive work for the tournament.

Seedorf said: “I am in awe of how he’s performing. When a guy is scoring 40 goals a season, I’m going to run for him.” The accompanying image was shot by Dan Mullan.

He argued that elite goalscorers should be judged in context, adding that he “doesn’t understand the whole buzz about Mbappe not defending.” Seedorf stressed that a player who decides matches must have a team structure that maximises his strengths.

Seedorf also praised Jude Bellingham, saying: “I love Jude Bellingham. He has that old school mentality.” He described Bellingham as one of the best midfielders in the world, modern in quality but old‑school in attitude. The accompanying picture was taken by Justin Setterfield.

According to Seedorf, Bellingham’s competitive edge fits the Bernabeu perfectly, complementing the attacking firepower of Real Madrid’s stars.

Seedorf warned that accommodating two forwards who contribute little defensively, such as Mbappe and Vinicius Jr., can cause a team’s structure to collapse. Balancing their energy requires disciplined midfielders, full‑backs and intelligent pressing.

Los Blancos hope their players continue to impress at the World Cup and return fresh and motivated to start the new season under Jose Mourinho. Mourinho will still demand discipline, positioning and sacrifice at key moments.

Seedorf’s comments underline the challenge of building a tactical balance around multiple world‑class attackers while maintaining defensive responsibility.