Mourinho was full of praise for Jude Bellingham, hailing the 23-year-old England international as a leader and a potential Ballon d’Or winner.
After breaking the deadlock in the 19th minute with a brilliant individual effort, he also played a key role in Madrid’s second.
“Bellingham is not only a top player, but also a leader,” Mourinho said.
“He’s very demanding of himself, and demanding of his teammates. I really like that about him.
“He is in the Ballon d’Or race. What he does as a midfielder is absolutely incredible.”
Mourinho previously described Bellingham as a unique player with a wide range of attributes, physical, mental, tactical, and goalscoring, and has made him a central figure in his new-look Real Madrid side.
The change appears to have suited Bellingham, who told Real Madrid TV:
”Now I’m a bit more free, with the freedom to move further up, and drop deep if we need it. I’m enjoying it a lot. That’s why I’m playing well.”
The midfielder also enjoyed a strong 2026 World Cup with England, and his manager now believes theres is an outside chance of winning football’s biggest individual prize.