In a surprising turn of events, American pop sensation Taylor Swift has become an unexpected ally for Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham in his bid to win the 2023 Golden Boy award, thanks to a social media campaign led by her devoted fans.
Bellingham finds himself in fierce competition with Barcelona's Alejandro Balde for the prestigious Golden Boy accolade. Until Tuesday, Bellingham was trailing in the vote counts. However, the tide began to turn when Taylor Swift fans initiated a social media campaign against Balde.
The catalyst for this campaign was an older tweet quoting Balde in which he expressed his disinterest in Taylor Swift's music, stating, "Do I like Taylor Swift? No, I don't like her music." This comment did not sit well with Swift's passionate fan base, known as Swifties, who rallied together to support Bellingham's bid for the 2023 Golden Boy award. By midnight on Wednesday, the English midfielder's vote count reportedly surged from 30 percent to a commanding 89 percent, according to Tribuna.
Jude Bellingham's start at Real Madrid has been nothing short of a dream, with the young midfielder already netting five goals in just four La Liga appearances. In contrast, Barcelona's left-back Balde has made three league appearances but has yet to contribute a goal or assist under the guidance of manager Xavi.
Bellingham's next appearance will be in the England national team jersey as the Three Lions face Ukraine in a Euro 2024 qualifying match on September 9.
