Born on June 29, 2003, in Stourbridge, West Midlands, Jude Victor William Bellingham is the eldest son of Denise and Mark Bellingham. Mark, formerly a sergeant in the West Midlands Police and a successful non-League football goalscorer until 2022, instilled a love for the game in Jude and his younger brother, Jobe, who also plays football. Jude attended Priory School in Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Jude Bellingham is an English professional soccer player born on June 29, 2003.
Bellingham started his journey with Birmingham City at under-8 level, becoming the club's youngest first-team player with his debut in August 2019, aged just 16 years and 38 days. He played regularly throughout the 2019–20 season.
It was evident that Bellingham would depart from Birmingham, and reports indicated that he and his father had visited several top clubs, with Manchester United and Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund being the frontrunners. Ultimately, the midfielder chose to continue his career in Germany.
Borussia Dortmund paid over £25 million for Bellingham, who made his debut on September 14, 2020, starting in the first match of the 2020–21 season against third-tier MSV Duisburg in the DFB-Pokal, at 17 years and 77 days old. Just half an hour into the game, he scored his first goal for Borussia in a 5-0 victory, becoming the youngest scorer in the history of the German Cup. That season, the English midfielder played 46 matches and scored four goals, appearing in both the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League.
In the following season, Bellingham established himself as a key player and was named to the 2021-22 Team of the Season. He repeated this achievement the next year, when he was also named Player of the Season. In total, he played 132 matches and scored 24 goals for Borussia Dortmund.
On June 14, 2023, Real Madrid confirmed the acquisition of Bellingham with a six-year deal. Borussia Dortmund secured a base transfer fee of €103 million, potentially increasing by 30% to about €133.9 million through add-ons. Birmingham City would receive around £6 million due to a sell-on clause.
Bellingham made his debut for Real Madrid on August 12, 2023, in a victory against Athletic Club. The 2023-24 season was Jude's first with the club, and he quickly became known for his iconic arms-open celebration. He swiftly became a crucial player for Carlo Ancelotti's team, even scoring against Barcelona in the Spanish derby.
With Real Madrid, Bellingham had his best season as a professional footballer: he won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League, defeating his former team Borussia Dortmund in the final. Individually, he played 42 matches and scored 23 goals.
Bellingham made his professional debut for the England senior team on November 12, 2020, in a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland. He came on as a substitute in the 73rd minute.
He could have chosen to play for the Irish national team, but Jude had already decided to represent England in the youth divisions. He had previously captained the Under-15 and Under-16 teams.
Bellingham's first international goal came from a header off a Luke Shaw cross to open the scoring in England's 6-2 victory over Iran in their first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on November 21. Over time, he became a key player for Gareth Southgate. Now wearing the number 10 jersey in the 2024 Euro Cup, Jude has been a standout performer as England reaches the final.
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