Jude Victor William Bellingham, born on June 29, 2003, in Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, is an English professional footballer renowned for his midfield prowess.
He plays as an attacking midfielder for La Liga giants Real Madrid and represents the England national team.
Widely regarded as one of the most talented young players in the world, Bellingham has Irish descent through his father and Kenyan through his mother, and he grew up idolizing Zinedine Zidane.
Siblings
Jude has one sibling, his younger brother Jobe Bellingham, who was born on September 23, 2005.
Jobe is also a professional footballer, currently playing as a midfielder or forward for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, following a path similar to his brother’s by starting in Birmingham City’s academy and later moving to Sunderland before his recent transfer.
Career
Bellingham’s football journey began early, joining Birmingham City’s academy at under-8 level after playing for Stourbridge Juniors.
He progressed rapidly, featuring for the under-18 team at age 14 and debuting for the under-23s at 15.
In July 2019, he signed a two-year scholarship and earned a spot in the first-team training camp, scoring in pre-season friendlies.
His senior debut came on August 6, 2019, in an EFL Cup match against Portsmouth, making him Birmingham City’s youngest-ever first-team player at 16 years and 38 days.
During the 2019-20 season, he became a regular starter in the Championship, appearing in 29 league matches and scoring once, while also contributing four goals across 46 total appearances.
His impact was so profound that Birmingham retired his number 22 shirt upon his departure, a rare honor to inspire future talents.
In July 2020, at just 17, Bellingham transferred to Borussia Dortmund for a record £25 million fee, the highest ever for a teenager at the time.
He quickly adapted to the Bundesliga, scoring on his debut in the DFB-Pokal and becoming Dortmund’s youngest-ever goalscorer.
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Over three seasons, he made 132 appearances, showcasing versatility in midfield roles and helping the team win the DFB-Pokal in his debut campaign.
Key moments included assists in Der Klassiker matches against Bayern Munich and a tearful reaction after a late loss that cost Dortmund the 2022-23 title.
His performances earned praise from peers like Phil Foden, who called him one of the most gifted players seen.
Bellingham’s next chapter began in June 2023 when he joined Real Madrid for an initial €103 million fee, potentially rising to €133.9 million with add-ons.
In his debut season (2023-24), he exploded onto the scene, scoring in his La Liga and Champions League debuts, and netting ten goals in his first ten league games—surpassing records set by Cristiano Ronaldo and equaling Zinedine Zidane’s seasonal tally.
He became Real Madrid’s top league scorer with 19 goals, contributed to winning La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, and the Supercopa de España, and recorded 23 goals in 42 appearances overall.
Internationally, Bellingham debuted for England’s senior team in November 2020 against the Republic of Ireland, scored his first goal at the 2022 FIFA World Cup against Iran, and has been pivotal in UEFA Euro 2020, 2024, and World Cup qualifiers, wearing the number 10 jersey in Euro 2024.
Accolades
At Birmingham, Bellingham was named Championship Apprentice of the Year and EFL Young Player of the Season.
With Dortmund, he won Bundesliga Player of the Season and was runner-up in the 2021 Kopa Trophy before claiming both the Golden Boy Award and Kopa Trophy in 2023 as the world’s best under-21 player.
At Real Madrid, he earned La Liga Player of the Season for 2023-24, the Mahou Five Star Player Award, and finished third in both the 2024 Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA Men’s Player polls.
In 2024, he received the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award—the first footballer to win it—and the Globe Soccer Maradona Award for his technical brilliance and leadership.
For England, he was voted Men’s Player of the Year for 2024-25, breaking a 19-year streak for a non-English club player.
Team trophies include the DFB-Pokal with Dortmund and La Liga, Champions League, and Supercopa with Real Madrid.
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