Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham shared photos of his girlfriend, Ashlyn Castro, on her birthday this Wednesday. The two have been together since January and prefer to keep their relationship private, rarely posting about each other on Instagram. Still, Castro has been seen supporting Bellingham at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Bellingham Wishes Girlfriend a Happy Birthday

Since going public, the pair haven't posted much about each other on social media. But Bellingham made an exception to wish Castro a happy birthday, posting a series of pictures on his Instagram story with the caption, "Happy birthday, my love."

Breakup Rumours Ended in October

Rumours of a breakup between Bellingham and Castro surfaced, but she shot them down in October with her own birthday message, writing, "Happy birthday!" I love you so much!

She also posted: The most thoughtful, kind-hearted, hard-working, incredible human I’ve ever met. You bring so much light into this world.

Back in February, they were seen together at Madrid's game against Girona. Bellingham was suspended for that game after a red card against Osasuna.

Castro has been described as knowing how to handle the spotlight. One source said, Ashlyn understands how to keep things interesting while keeping her private life private. Whether she becomes a permanent fixture in Jude's world or fades into the background is something we have to wait and see. But for now, wherever Ashlyn goes, people pay attention.

Bellingham's 2025-26 Season So Far

Bellingham's season has been a bit spotty. He had shoulder surgery over the summer to fix a problem he'd been dealing with since 2023. He started playing regularly in October and scored three goals in three games that month, helping Los Blancos win against Juventus, Barcelona, and Valencia.

His team has struggled with consistency. There's been speculation about manager Xabi Alonso's job security after some poor performances in both La Liga and the Champions League. But the team recently recovered from losses to Celta Vigo and Manchester City with a win over Alaves. They're still four points behind Barcelona, who are at the top in Spain.

Bellingham has also had to fight for his spot in the England squad under Thomas Tuchel. The German manager didn't include him in the September matches against Andorra and Serbia. Bellingham improved, though, and was back on the roster in November. He hopes to start in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but he's up against Morgan Rogers, Phil Foden, and Cole Palmer.

Bellingham's Winter Break in Spain

While teams in England keep playing through the holidays, Bellingham and Madrid will have some time off to rest. Following Wednesday's Copa del Rey game against CF Talavera de la Reina, Alonso's team will play Sevilla at the Bernabeu. After that, they'll have a two-week break before their next game, which will be at home against Real Betis.

Then, they'll travel to Saudi Arabia for the 2026 Supercopa de España. They'll play against Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals. The winner will face either Barcelona or Athletic Club at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah for the trophy.

Real Madrid has been pretty open about their unhappiness with how La Liga games have been officiated as of late. The players, manager, and even the club's media channels have all been talking about it.

Just recently, club president Florentino Perez jumped into the discussion. He criticized the refereeing and suggested that the Negreira scandal might still be having an impact on the club.

Understandably, these comments didn't sit well with the referees and their association in Spain. The Spanish Association of Football Referees (AESAF) has officially released a lengthy statement to push back against Perez.

Here's what the statement said:

The Spanish Association of Football Referees (AESAF) wants to say that we disagree with the recent public comments made by Real Madrid President Florentino Perez. This kind of talk does a lot of damage to the reputation of referees and Spanish football. This was aimed directly at the Real Madrid president.

The statement went on to say that referees do their jobs with complete transparency and professionalism and that Perez's accusations have no basis.

In the Negreira Case, no referee has been investigated or charged at all during the judicial process. "We can't accept the accusation of corruption against referees as valid," it continued.

The refereeing body also clarified that referees can't be blamed for what happens on the field and showed their support for all referees, especially those singled out by Real Madrid.

We believe that refereeing shouldn't be a scapegoat for game results. Games are won and lost on the field.

AESAF supports our colleague Pablo González Fuertes and all referees in Spain, whose work deserves respect both professionally and personally.

They also directly addressed Los Blancos about accusations made during last season’s Copa del Rey.

We want to state that the accusation of threats made at the press conference of the Final of the Copa del Rey for the 2024–25 season is not true, to say the least.

[They] were meant to point out that violence against referees and their families at all levels of Spanish football had reached unacceptable levels.

The statement then noted that any accusations against referees can lead to violence against them on the field and hurt their image. They added that they're doing everything they can to be transparent.

Specifically talking about Real Madrid, the AESAF mentioned the harm they're causing to referees.

It's a serious issue that this club keeps making statements that aren't based on reality, which could create an unsporting environment in Spanish competition.

They repeated that no referee has been found guilty in the Negreira case.

As of today, there is no charge or investigation of referees during the entire instruction period. So it's important to stick to the principle of innocent until proven guilty to avoid statements that could mislead the public.

They thanked the clubs, organizations, and players who have supported them during this time and asked that prominent figures take more responsibility for what they say.

Near the end, the AESAF said that they're working with clubs and the RFEF to keep improving refereeing standards.

AESAF mentions that it has been part of the Refereeing Reform Commission for months. This is a continuous discussion promoted by the RFEF, where club representatives can share ideas and concerns and work together in a helpful way.

Real Madrid was not at the most recent meeting.

Using technology like VAR and review protocols helps to reinforce openness and reduce the chance of human error that is part of any sport.