There was a lot of intrigue on Tuesday night when Jobe Bellingham took to the field for the very first time in a Borussia Dortmund shirt.
The 19-year-old, the younger brother of Real Madrid and England superstar Jude Bellingham, was a second-half substitute in Dortmund’s goalless draw against Brazilian outfit Fluminense in their FIFA Club World Cup clash at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
What the world wanted to know was: “Is this Bellingham as good as the other one?”
After coming on as a sub, many fans were convinced that Dortmund had a star on their hands. His passing was tidy, he was heavily involved in the action in the middle of the park, and early indications are that he could be the next big thing in European football.
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Like big brother Jude, young Jobe began his career at hometown club Birmingham City. After impressing at Birmingham, Jude earned a move straight to Dortmund, where he impressed enough to be bought by Madrid.
Jobe, on the other hand, took a different path. After leaving Birmingham, he made Sunderland his home and played a key part in helping the club secure promotion back to the Premier League.
And throughout his career, he’s done things his own way in order to escape his brother’s enormous shadow. For one, he plays with his first name on the back of his jersey, not his family name of Bellingham.
“I think he’s trying to create his own identity,” Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray said back in December. “He doesn’t want to live off the back of his brother’s name; he wants to be the footballer that he is and show people what he can do.”
And after he completed his move to Dortmund – Jude’s former club – he was quick to distance himself from his brother’s achievements. “I’m not following in anyone’s footsteps.”
The world is watching. Two years ago, after he scored two goals in Sunderland’s victory over Rotherham United in England’s Championship, former Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti took note and jokingly mentioned to Jude that they had signed the wrong brother.
Jude, explaining how the conversation went, said: “I’m in shock that he’s scored twice, and then I’ll never forget, as we’re coming out, Ancelotti goes to me, ‘F***ing hell, we brought the wrong one.’ And I’m like, ‘You’re joking.’ He says, ‘No seriously, I’m going to bring him in.’ I said, ‘Well, where are you going to play him?’ He says, ‘In your position.’ I was like, ‘F**k that!’ And then finally he gave me a little smirk, and my heart just dropped, and I thought, okay, fine. And then I’m like, no pressure for today.”
After the Club World Cup, football fans will turn their attention to the German Bundesliga to see if this Bellingham really is as good as the other one.
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