'If he continues...' - Eliezer Mayenda opens up on relationship with Sunderland teammate Jobe Bellingham
Sunderland attacker Eliezer Mayenda has been speaking about his teammate Jobe Bellingham.
Sunderland striker Eliezer Mayenda has opened up on his relationship with Black Cats teammate Jobe Bellingham, stating that the pair have a “very good” connection.
Both teenagers have established themselves as prominent figures in Regis Le Bris’ squad this season, with Mayenda in particular enhancing his role on Wearside compared to the previous campaign.
The Spaniard has registered seven goals and five assists across all competitions in 2024/25, and has been rewarded for his stellar work with a first ever call-up to his nation’s U21s set-up. And while away on international duty, the starlet was asked about teammate Bellingham, who attracts heightened interest in Spain due to elder brother - and Real Madrid talisman - Jude.
What did Eliezer Mayenda say about Sunderland teammate Jobe Bellingham?
Speaking about Bellingham during an interview with continental outlet El Desmarque, Mayenda said: "Jobe is a great player. We don't talk much about Jude, but I have a very good relationship with Jobe . He's very talented, a hard worker, and if he continues like this, he'll be able to play anywhere.”
Mayenda also took some time to reflect on the challenges that he has experienced since moving to England, adding: “It's a different kind of football, very physical and competitive. Any team there can beat anyone. I've been lucky to have started getting opportunities with Sunderland, and the adaptation is going very well. After all, the more games you play, the better you adapt, but it's true that it's hard at first.”
When quizzed on whether he would rather win the U21s European Championship with Spain or secure promotion back to the Premier League with Sunderland, the young forward diplomatically responded: "I'd say both. They're different, but I couldn't choose.”
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What else did Eliezer Mayenda have to say?
Elsewhere, Mayenda, who was born in Spain but moved to France as a child, took some time to address what it was like to have his life uprooted at such a young age. He said: "When I was about eight years old, my father told me that we had to go to France for work reasons. I didn't understand. Only with the passage of time did I understand it. The adaptation was complicated because of the language.
"I started speaking French and was in the Sochaux youth academy. I trained to become a better footballer until Sunderland signed me last year. Being so young and living in France is complicated. When they told me I had to go to France, I didn't understand it because I didn't want to leave, but I had no choice, but I didn't want to leave... I had everything in Zaragoza, friends, family. I still have contact with Spain. I have family in Zaragoza and Pamplona, and I come here on vacation whenever I can.”