Jobe Bellingham

Jobe Bellingham has been with Borussia Dortmund since June 2025 and instead of the linking up with the England U21s for Euro 2025, he immediately travelled to the USA to play in the FIFA Club World Cup with his new club. And in just his second match for BVB, he scored his first goal in the game against the Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa.

“Jobe is an exceptionally talented player who, despite his young age, already has a remarkable maturity and footballing IQ. We believe that he fits perfectly with our philosophy of promoting young talents and giving them the opportunity to develop at the highest level. His professionalism, dynamism and ambition will enrich our team,” said managing director Lars Ricken after Bellingham signed a five-year contract that runs until 30 June 2030. He said: “It's an unbelievable feeling. It is a great privilege, because it’s something a lot of players dream of – and I have been dreaming about it for a few weeks too! I am very happy to be here and I want to play my part in enjoying success here with these great fans and will work towards that every day, working on myself and with the team.”

Bellingham, whose kit will simply bear the name ‘Jobe’, does play in central midfield like his brother Jude, who is 27 months older, but a few centimetres smaller, but his profile is quite different. Jobe operates deeper on the defensive end, winning a lot of balls. He is aggressive and plays with a lot of intensity. He is strong in the tackle and also excels in transitions. He likes to play long passes or carry the ball directly toward the penalty area, makes few mistakes and is resistant to the press. In the attacking third, however, he is more likely to be the man who plays the penultimate pass than directly picking up goal involvement stats. “I feel most comfortable in the middle of the pitch, where everything happens around me,” he says about himself: “I can move in different directions and I’m not glued to the touchline. Maybe as a ‘box-to-box’ player in the double pivot system – yes, that works pretty well! I like to be everywhere in between. But I also like to play as a 10, 8 or 6. Each of these positions is interesting. The main thing is that I get to do a lot – I like that. Wherever the coach needs me, that’s fine by me!”

Jobe Bellingham was born on 23 September 2005 in Stourbridge, England, into a football-loving family. His father, Mark Bellingham, scored more than 700 goals as an amateur footballer and passed his passion for the sport on to his two sons Jude (Real Madrid, at BVB from 2020 to 2023) and Jobe. Jobe went through the Birmingham City Youth Academy, where he stood out for his technique, footballing IQ and versatility. The midfielder is confident on the ball and has the ability to make the right decisions in high-pressure situations. “I try to improve every day. I like to work, I am disciplined and committed because I take it all very seriously. I try to improve at my craft and not let external things influence me.”

He was called up to the first team squad of his boyhood club Birmingham City for the first time at the age of just 15. At 16, he made his professional debut as the club's second youngest player when he made his debut in January 2022 in a 1-0 defeat to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup, coming on in the 70th minute. He played 26 competitive games for the second division side before joining league rivals Sunderland in the summer of 2023. There, he was given the opportunity to develop and enjoy regular playing time. In his debut season, the then 18-year-old scored seven goals in the Championship. Bellingham established himself as a key player and played 90 competitive games for the club (11 goals, four assists). At Sunderland, he played as a number 6 or number 8. “I like going into tackles. I love throwing myself into duels.”

In his second season, he was instrumental in his side's promotion to the Premier League and was voted "Young Player of the Season" and in the "Team of the Season" in the EFL Championship. “The Play-Offs were something that meant a lot to me. I was glad that I was able to sign off with that result.”

Since the U16s, Jobe Bellingham has gone through all the England youth national teams. He made his debut for the U21s in November 2024.