The youngest ever first-team player at Birmingham, the youngest goalscorer for Borussia Dortmund, the third youngest to represent England at international level and the next Real Madrid superstar.

Jude Bellingham is a midfielder who plays for Real Madrid and the England national team.

The youngster already has his number retired at boyhood club Birmingham, as well as being called up to the England Euro 2020, 2024 and World Cup 2022 squads.

He opened his account for England during the 2022 World Cup, scoring the opening goal in the 6-2 win over Iran in the group stages.

He was named Bundesliga Player of the Season after his starring role for Dortmund in the 2022/23 season, as the club just missed out on the title in agonising fashion on the final day of the campaign.

In June 2023, Real Madrid completed the signing of Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund for an initial £88.5m on a six-year deal.

He won the Champions League, La Liga and was named Real Madrid's player of the season in a dream first campaign with the Spanish giants.

 

Childhood dreams at Birmingham

Born in 2003, Bellingham joined Birmingham in 2010 as a part of the under-8's development. By the time he was 14 he was making impact in the under-18 squad before making his debut for the under-23s, aged 15.

In the 2019/20 season, Bellingham became the youngest player to play for Birmingham, aged 16 years and 38 days.

He made his debut for the club in an EFL Cup match against Portsmouth in August, before making his league debut 19 days later against Swansea City.

The midfielder scored his first goal for the club on his home debut, netting the winner in a 2-1 win over Stoke City.

Already a crucial member of the Birmingham City he was named November's EFL Young Player of the Month.

By January 2020, there were a host of Europe's leading clubs sniffing around Bellingham, with Manchester United reported to have offered £25million for his services. However, despite speculation, Bellingham stuck with his boyhood club, helping them stave off relegation to League One.

He finished the season with four goals from 44 games in all competitions.

It was clear the teenager was going to leave St Andrews and the Blues retired his No. 22 shirt "to remember one of our own and to inspire others".

 

Dortmund breakthrough

Bellingham's father Mark, a former non-league striker with Leamington, had visited several clubs with his son as they weighed up their next move.

In the end they chose German side Borussia Dortmund, with the duo swayed by the club's reputation for blooding young players, including fellow Englishman Jadon Sancho.

His move was announced on July 20, 2020 and he became the most expensive 17-year-old ever. The fee reported to be £25million.

Bellingham made his debut in a DFB-Pokal match against third-tier MSV Duisburg, scoring twice. In doing so he became the club's youngest goal scorer in the competition, as well as the club's youngest scorer in any competitive match.

He made his Bundesliga debut against Borussia Monchengladbach, grabbing his first assist of the campaign.

Bellingham started his first Champions League match on October 20, 2020 against Lazio. At 17 years and 113 days he became the youngest player to play in a Champions League fixture.

The Englishman rounded off an outstanding debut campaign for Dortmund with his first piece of silverware, the DFB-Pokal, after Dortmund beat RB Leipzig 4-1 in the final.

After a campaign in which he made 46 appearances and scored four times, his fellow pros named him Newcomer of the Season.

He had another impressive season in the 2021/22 campaign, where he made 44 appearances and scored six goals across all competitions.

Then at the age of just 19, Bellingham became the youngest captain in the Bundesliga when he wore the armband for the first time against FC Koln, and then against Sevilla in the Champions League a few days later.

Bellingham was named Bundesliga Player of the Season after his starring role for Dortmund in the 2022/23 season, as the club just missed out on the title in agonising fashion on the final day of the campaign.

 

Instant success at Real Madrid

Bellingham hit the ground running when he joined Madrid and turned himself into a world star with an incredible debut season.

He scored 23 goals and added 11 assists as Madrid won La Liga and the Champions League.

“I’ve always dreamed of playing in these games,” Bellingham told TNT Sports after the Champions League final.

“You go through life and there are so many people who say you can’t do things and days like today remind you why.

“It gets hard at times and you wonder whether it’s worth it but nights like tonight make you realise.

“I was all right until I saw my mum and dad’s face. I can’t put it into words. The best night of my life.

“I think it has to be up there as the perfect season. We missed out on the Copa del Rey, which is the disappointment, but I couldn’t have dreamed of a better season than this. I just can’t believe it.”

 

Bellingham international career with England

Bellingham has progressed through the ranks for England, playing for the under-16s through to the under-21s.

He became the youngest player to appear for England under-21s in September 2020, coming off the bench and scoring against Kosovo to complete a 6-0 victory.

Bellingham made his first senior appearance for England in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland in November 2020. At 17 years, 136 days, he became England's third-youngest full international; only Theo Walcott and Wayne Rooney had appeared at a younger age.

To conclude his groundbreaking season at Dortmund, Bellingham was called up to Gareth Southgate's Euro 2020 squad. He came on as a substitute in England's 1-0 group stage wins over Croatia and the Czech Republic, as well as being introduced in the 4-0 quarter-final defeat of Ukraine.

Bellingham's superb performances for Dortmund in the 2021/22 season, saw the 19-year-old force his way into England's first team plans.

He was selected for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and scored England's first goal of the tournament against Iran in the opening group game. It was Bellingham's first international goal.

 

Bellingham was selected for Euro 2024 campaign and had a tournament of highs and lows in Germany as England lost to Spain in the final.

He scored the only goal of the game in the opening win over Serbia, scored a last-gasp overhead kick to take the last-16 tie with Slovakia to extra-time and set up Cole Palmer to draw England level in the 2-1 final defeat to Spain.

But there were also times when the Real Madrid man looked tired.

“I think we sacrificed a lot throughout the last weeks,” he said.

“It’s so tough these days, with the crazy schedules and then coming together for the end of the season, for one last tournament, it’s difficult on the body.

“Mentally, physically, you’re exhausted but for our country we wanted to give everything and then to lose in that way is really cruel.”

 

Personal life

Bellingham's dad Mark was a prolific striker at non-league level, while his mother Denice has also been a huge influence on his career.

Younger brother Jobe is currently coming through the ranks of Birmingham City and has already broken through into the first team.

 

Net worth

Jude Bellingham's net worth is believed to be €4million.