It was Bellingham’s 21st goal of an extraordinary first season in Madrid that could yet end up with a La Liga and Champions League double for the 20-year-old.
“I think he’s impressed a lot of people, not just me,” said Bolt, a keen footballer.
“Coming into Real Madrid, we expected great things from him. But he’s stepped up to a level that we didn’t expect him to be this great.
“He’s shown his young talent that he will be among the top footballers throughout his career.
“It’s a pleasure to meet him and just have a conversation with him.
“The young generation is really stepping up, so big-up to the Jude.”
Jamaican sprinter Bolt, now 37, won eight Olympic gold medals in a glittering career on the track and remains the world record holder over 100 and 200 metres.
He was asked about Mbappe’s pace, with the France forward recognised as one of the quickest players in world football.
Bolt said: “I would love to have competed with Mbappe in my prime to see how close he would be (to him).
“I feel one day he just needs to run 100 metres and let me see the time.”
Bolt says he will be at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer and is “excited to see everything”.
He said: “I’m keen to have an all-access pass to everything. Anything I can do on that day I will be doing it. I’ll be like a kid in a candy store.
“But I’ll definitely be at the track on the days of the 100 and 200 metres finals.”
Other award winners at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid were Spain’s World Cup-winning women’s football team, which was named World Team of the Year for 2023, while midfielder Aitana Bonmati was picked as the best sportswoman.
Spain was the first all-female team to win the team award.
Before the World Cup, Bonmati also helped Barcelona win a second Women’s Champions League. She is the first female footballer to win the Laureus, after also receiving the Ballon d’Or and Fifa best player award.
Novak Djokovic won his record-equalling fifth Sportsman of the Year award – tying Roger Federer – while American gymnast Simone Biles was given the Comeback of the Year award for her record-breaking return to competition last year, when she won four gold medals at the world championships.
Rafael Nadal won the Sport for Good award for his foundation helping more than “1,000 vulnerable young people in Spain and India”, according to Laureus.
Teenager Arisa Trew won the Action Sportsperson award after becoming the first female skateboarder to land a 720 in competition.
Dutch wheelchair player Diede de Groot was selected as the Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability after winning her third straight calendar tennis Grand Slam.
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