Jude Bellingham: From humble beginnings to shining on football’s biggest stages

In the past few years, Jude Bellingham’s swift ascendancy has positioned him on the verge of becoming the third-most pricey teenager in global football, owing to his 103m euro transfer to Real Madrid.

Bellingham, England’s and Borussia Dortmund’s midfielder, was on the radar of several leading European clubs, including Manchester City and Liverpool. Still, he has decided to join the Spanish titans for his next professional advancement.

At a tender age of 19, Bellingham was among the most impressive performers for England in the previous year’s World Cup. Sport News Center traces his journey from an unassuming youth player at Birmingham City to becoming a football luminary.

The departure of Bellingham from the Blues to join Borussia Dortmund in 2020 for £25m, making him the most costly 17-year-old in football history, drew some criticism for the Championship side for retiring the teenager’s jersey number, considering he had played only a single full season of professional football.

However, his current exceptional skills on the pitch, combined with his modest nature, emphasize why he was so highly regarded at the Blues.

“He was reluctant to leave Birmingham City, he shed tears,” recalls football journalist Guillem Balague. “Yet he bravely stepped out of his comfort zone and matured into a very assured young man.”

Initially, Bellingham didn’t express much enthusiasm for football despite his obvious talent. Phil Wooldridge, his first coach, recounts his initial encounter with Bellingham when he was just four. Wooldridge told the BBC that it took Bellingham several months to genuinely get interested in football. However, once the football bug bit him, there was no turning back.

He would tell his schoolmates and teachers about his aspiration to play for England. As his passion for football burgeoned, Wooldridge and Bellingham’s father established a team called Stourbridge Juniors, where Bellingham played regularly. His extraordinary talent caught the attention of professional clubs locally, and at the age of seven, he joined Birmingham City.

A significant role in Bellingham’s development was played by Mike Dodds, a coach who Bellingham attributes his evolution as a person and a player to. Dodds, now a first-team coach at Sunderland, helped groom Bellingham for his professional debut at 16.

Bellingham demonstrated his empathy during last year’s World Cup when he comforted striker Harry Kane, who missed a penalty against France. Even though Bellingham spent just one season at Birmingham, his skill and maturity helped them evade relegation to League One. This caught the attention of several major clubs worldwide, but it was Borussia Dortmund who were successful in signing him.

At Dortmund, Bellingham continued to shine and made history by becoming the team’s youngest captain at 19. Raphael Honigstein, a German football expert, described him as a “phenomenon,” adding layers to his game with every appearance. This season, Bellingham further demonstrated his worth by scoring 14 goals, including one against Manchester City in the Champions League.

Bellingham’s performances at his first World Cup drew the world’s attention to his talent. After a masterful display in the 3-0 last-16 win against Senegal, Manchester City and England midfielder Phil Foden spoke highly of Bellingham, labeling him as one of the most gifted players he’s ever seen and predicting that Bellingham will be the world’s best midfielder.

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