Jude Bellingham reportedly brought Lionel Messi into a heated exchange with Cristian Romero following Real Madrid’s dramatic 2–1 defeat to Atletico Madrid.
The Madrid derby ended in controversy, with Real Madrid left furious over several refereeing decisions during the match.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid claimed all three points after Alejandro Grimaldo opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Jonathan David doubled their advantage in the second half.
Real Madrid managed to pull one goal back through Antonio Rudiger late in the game, but Jose Mourinho’s side ultimately suffered defeat.
The result was made even more frustrating for Real after Dean Huijsen was sent off and another controversial challenge involving Kang-in Lee escaped a red card.
Bellingham was particularly unhappy with the officiating and appeared to make his feelings clear after the final whistle.
The England midfielder had already been involved in a heated moment with Romero during the game after being booked for a foul on the Argentine defender.
VAR subsequently intervened, with referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias overturning his initial decision and instead showing Romero a yellow card.
Real Madrid believed the challenge deserved a red card, while they were also unhappy that Lee was not dismissed for an ankle-high challenge on Federico Valverde.
Valverde was forced off following the incident, with concerns that the injury could keep him out for an extended period.
After the match, Bellingham reportedly approached Romero and the pair exchanged words.
Footage of the confrontation quickly circulated online, with Movistar’s El Día Después reporting that Bellingham referenced Messi during the argument.
Bellingham reportedly told Romero:
“When you’re with Messi, you talk a lot. But here, nothing.”
The report also claims Bellingham called Romero a “coward”, while the former Tottenham defender allegedly responded by calling the Real Madrid midfielder a “cry baby.”
Romero also reportedly referenced England’s defeat to Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, telling Bellingham that he had “cried over there” during the tournament.
The exchange added another layer to an already fiery rivalry between the two players.
Bellingham’s Messi History Resurfaced
The mention of Messi was particularly notable because Bellingham and the Argentina captain had already been involved in a memorable exchange during the 2026 World Cup.
During England’s 2–1 defeat to Argentina in the semi-final, cameras captured Messi and Bellingham exchanging words.
The moment quickly became one of the most replayed clips from the tournament, with some fans believing the confrontation had added fuel to Argentina’s comeback.
However, Bellingham later played down what happened between himself and Messi.
Speaking to AS, he explained that their conversation was actually about a foul.
Bellingham said they were discussing an earlier challenge, with Messi asking about a foul involving him.
The Real Madrid midfielder recalled responding: “You’re strong enough to take it.”
According to Bellingham, there was no major confrontation between the pair.
Nevertheless, the World Cup incident clearly remained memorable enough for Bellingham to reference Messi during his heated exchange with Romero.
Real Madrid Furious After Derby Defeat
Bellingham was also seen shouting “two red cards, two red cards” after the final whistle as Real Madrid players protested the decisions made during the derby.
The defeat has since triggered further controversy, with Real Madrid making several statements regarding refereeing and La Liga.
The club has also called for La Liga president Javier Tebas to step down after his public response to accusations that referees are being directed against Real Madrid.
Tebas dismissed those claims, saying those who believe referees are targeting Madrid are “living on another planet.”
The latest derby defeat leaves Mourinho’s Real Madrid chasing Barcelona at the top of the table.
Real currently sit fourth, six points behind league leaders Barcelona and one point behind Atletico Madrid.
Despite the disappointing result, Bellingham has continued his strong individual form this season, registering three goals and three assists in eight games for Real Madrid.