Pitarch Weighs International Future, Praises Bellingham Amid Madrid Season

Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid's promising young midfielder, Thiago PitarchPlayer·Thiago Pitarch, has offered insights into his international aspirations and singled out a key teammate for praise following a significant breakthrough season at the Santiago Bernabéu. The 19-year-old, currently competing with Spain Under-19 at the UEFA European Championship, where they are poised to face Germany in the final, has stated that his long-term international future remains undecided.

Pitarch, who is eligible to represent MoroccoTeam·Morocco through his paternal grandparents, emphasized that his immediate focus is on the European Championship final. He clarified that his senior international future is "still a long way off" and that he is not making any commitments at this stage, according to recent reports.

During his discussions, Pitarch also revealed which Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid teammate had left the strongest impression on him. While acknowledging the undeniable talent of Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius JuniorPlayer·Vinicius Junior in match situations, he specifically highlighted Jude BellinghamPlayer·Jude Bellingham's contributions in training sessions. This commendation comes despite Bellingham experiencing what was described as a "deeply underwhelming season" at Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid, marked by injuries, though his performance at the ongoing World CupCompetition·World Cup has been notable.

Pitarch's emergence has been a bright spot in what proved to be a demanding 2025/26 campaign for Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid. The club concluded the season without securing any major trophies for the second consecutive year. A significant change occurred in January when Xabi AlonsoCoach·Xabi Alonso was replaced as head coach by Alvaro ArbeloaCoach·Alvaro Arbeloa, with reports now indicating Jose MourinhoCoach·Jose Mourinho is set to return as manager.

In La LigaCompetition·La Liga, Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid finished second with 86 points, trailing champions BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona, who clinched the title in El Clásico in May. Their league record stood at 27 wins, five draws, and six defeats. The club also reached the final of the Spanish Super Cup, where they were defeated by BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona. Their Copa del ReyCompetition·Copa del Rey journey ended prematurely in the Round of 16, suffering a 3-2 loss to second-tier AlbaceteTeam·Albacete in January.

The UEFA Champions League saw Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid finish ninth in the league phase, losing three of their eight matches. They navigated the knockout round playoffs and overcame Manchester CityTeam·Manchester City with a 5-1 aggregate score in the Round of 16, before their eventual elimination in the quarter-finals. Individually, Kylian Mbappé was the club's top goalscorer across all competitions with 42 goals, including 25 in La LigaCompetition·La Liga and 15 in the Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League. Vinicius JuniorPlayer·Vinicius Junior contributed 22 goals, while Federico ValverdePlayer·Federico Valverde scored nine and was considered a strong contender for the club's Player of the Season award.