Full Name: Jude Victor William Bellingham
Date of Birth: 29 June 2003
Place of Birth: Stourbridge, West Midlands
Height: 1.86m (6 ft 1 in)
Position: Midfielder
Current Team: Real Madrid Club de Fútbol
Jersey Number: 5
Jude Bellingham’s rise through the footballing ranks has been monumental. Only four seasons ago, he was making his debut in the English second-tier league. Yet via a Bundesliga adventure, Bellingham has transformed himself into an internationally recognised star.
In June 2023, he arrived at Real Madrid as one of the most expensive teenagers in football history, with his exceptional performances in his debut season earning him the prestigious 2023-24 La Liga Player of the Season award. Jude's ascent, closely accompanied by the unwavering support of his parents, Mark and Denise Bellingham, adds a personal dimension to his awe-inspiring football narrative.
Below are 10 interesting Facts About Jude Bellingham From Childhood, Showcasing His Parents Mark and Denis, and Career Achievements
1. Jude Bellingham is From A Sporting Family
Football runs deep in the Bellingham family, with a passion that spans generations. Jude's father, Mark, a former footballer, boasts a remarkable record of over 700 goals at the non-league level.
From an early age, Mark encouraged Jude, creating the foundation for his love of the sport. The enthusiasm for football extends to Jude's younger brother, Jobe, a professional footballer in the English Championship. Together, they form a dynamic trio, fostering a genuine love for the game within the Bellingham household.
Reflecting on his father's influence, Jude fondly recalled: "When you go and watch him play every week... it made me fall in love with football." Acknowledging the significant role played by his mother, Denise, Jude emphasised, "The role my mum is playing is massive," highlighting her influence that has gone beyond coaches and managers.
As a united force, the Bellingham family stands as a steadfast source of support, playing a pivotal role in shaping Jude's remarkable journey in football.
2. He Signed For Birmingham City At Age 7
Jude Bellingham's footballing journey started at West Midlands side Stourbridge Football
Club when he was six. However, his family unit was predominantly Birmingham City FC
supporters.
The Englishman has supported the Blues since he was young and signed for his beloved team in 2010 at age seven. He was grafted for nine more years through various youth team levels before finally getting his chance with the senior side. Bellingham once disclosed his childhood idols from Birmingham City, as reported by the Birmingham Mail: “I idolised Birmingham City players, the team that won the League Cup at Wembley (2-1 against Arsenal in 2011). My heroes were Seb Larsson, Craig Gardner and Lee Bowyer."
3. He Was The Youngest Ever League Starter
Upon making his professional debut in August 2019, Bellingham became the youngest
player to start an English league, aged 16 years and 38 days. At the end of that month, Bellingham scored his first goal for Birmingham City, making him the youngest goalscorer in their history. His first senior campaign was impressive, with Bellingham making 44 appearances and scoring four goals.
4. He Became The Most Expensive 17-Year Old Ever
When Borussia Dortmund signed Bellingham in 2020 for an initial fee of £25 million, he became the most expensive 17-year-old in the game's history. The Englishman joined Dortmund on a five-year deal, which saw him earn a salary of just over £1 million per year. He played 132 times for the German side and scored 24 goals across all competitions.
5. His Number 22 Shirt Was Retired
Following his departure to the Bundesliga, Bellingham's hometown club, Birmingham City
paid homage to their young star with an unprecedented gesture. After Bellingham's remarkable debut season and despite his age, the club took a rare decision to retire his number 22 shirt, an honour only usually bestowed on maturing legends.
6. He Is The Youngest Lion To Appear In A Major Tournament
When Bellingham replaced captain Harry Kane with eight minutes of normal time remaining
of his country's Euro 2020 match against Croatia - he became the youngest-ever player to
appear for England at a major tournament. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder was 17 years and 349 days old, the statistic eclipsing the record previously held by Michael Owen, who was 18 years and 183 days old when he featured against Tunisia at the 1998 World Cup.
7. He Is The Youngest English Champions League Player
Only two months after joining Borussia Dortmund, Jude Bellingham played against Lazio in a Champions League group stage match. As a result, he became the Youngest Englishman to grace the competition over three decades. Bellingham was just 17 years, and 113 days old, breaking a record that Manchester City’s Phil Foden previously held.
8. He Is Fourth Most Valuable Player In The World
After his transfer to Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham's star ascended significantly, currently ranking as the fourth-most valuable player in the world, as per Transfermarkt's latest figures. As of July 2023, his market value stands at an astonishing €120 million. Among his peers, new teammate Vinicius Jr. takes the third spot, boasting a valuation of €150 million. Tied at the zenith of this list are Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, both commanding a staggering value of €180 million each.
Bellingham, who dazzled with four goals and an assist in his opening three league fixtures for Los Blancos, clinched the prestigious title of La Liga's Player of the Month for August. This remarkable achievement solidified his impact and etched his name in history as the inaugural English recipient of this esteemed accolade.
Continuing to grace the league with his talents, featuring in an additional seven matches, Bellingham bolstered his goal tally to an impressive ten goals by early October 2023, emulating the efforts of Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo. This extraordinary feat marks him as the first player in the 21st century to score eight goals in his initial eight league games for Real Madrid.
On October 24, 2023, Bellingham secured the winning goal for Real Madrid in a 2-1 victory over Braga during the Champions League group stage, elevating the midfield sensation's goal count to an impressive 11 in just 12 starts across all competitions.
In his El Clasico debut on October 29th, Bellingham carried a restless Madrid team on his shoulders, propelling them to a remarkable comeback victory with two brilliantly executed goals. His first was a spectacular 25-yard strike, nullifying Ilkay Gundogan's early opener.
The second, a close-range tap-in past Barcelona's keeper Marc Andre ter Stegen in the 92nd minute, not only propelled Los Blancos to the summit of the league but also etched Bellingham's name as only the fifth Englishman to score in the world's grandest club match. With a remarkable tally of 13 goals in just 13 games, he joined the ranks of Laurie Cunningham, Gary Lineker, Steve McManaman, and Michael Owen, who scored in the El Clasico.
9. He Won The 2023 Kopa Trophy
Named after former French footballer Raymond Kopa and first introduced in 2018, the accolade honours the finest under-21 player voted by past Ballon d'Or laureates. After finishing as the runner-up to Barcelona's Spanish prodigy Pedri in 2018, Bellingham won the 2023 Kopa Trophy.
On October 30th 2023, three days following his El Clásico heroics, the Englishman made a striking appearance in an elegant and wide-legged attire at the 2023 Ballon d'Or ceremony in France to lift the prestigious award. Notably, Bellingham stood at the 18th position on the Ballon d'Or nominee list, just one step ahead of the English national team captain, Harry Kane.
In his acceptance speech, Bellingham said: ‘I’ve been really welcomed by everyone at the club, my teammates, the staff, everyone behind the scenes, so really it’s down to them. I’m always confident in my ability, but they help me express it. To me, the most important thing is team trophies. Now I’ve got this one it’s important that I try and kick on and help Madrid and England win trophies.’
10. He Surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo and Di Stefano's Record
In his comeback from a minor injury in the 3-0 win against Cadiz on November 26, Bellingham scored his 14th goal of the season, setting a new record for the most goals by any Real Madrid player in their first 15 games. The previous record of 13 was jointly held by Cristiano Ronaldo, Alfredo di Stefano, and Pruden. Explore more about the best Real Madrid strikers of all time.
In his debut season at Real Madrid following his summer move from Borussia Dortmund in 2023, the English midfielder Bellingham notched 19 goals in 28 La Liga appearances and 4 in 11 Champions League matches, amassing 23 goals and 13 assists in 42 games in all competitions. He scored his fourth goal in Europe's elite competition on November 29, 2023, during Madrid's 4-2 triumph over Serie A side Napoli in the group stage.
Highlighting the significance, after Bellingham transferred to Real Madrid for €100m, the deal carried the third heaviest fee for a 19-year-old in the game's history. Only Joao Felix's €126 move from Benfica to Atletico Madrid in 2019 and Kylian Mbappe's €180 switch to PSG a year earlier cost more for a 20-year-old. The transfer is currently the 11th largest transfer the sport has ever seen.
Bonus - Youngest El Clásico Winner & 2023 Golden Boy Award
Jude Bellingham became the fifth Englishman to score in El Clásico and the youngest player to score a stoppage-time winner in a La Liga edition of the rivalry. This remarkable achievement marked the first time Real Madrid had overturned a half-time deficit to win a LaLiga El Clásico on the road since February 28, 1965.
The prestigious prize 'Golden Boy,' founded by Tuttosport two decades ago and determined by the votes of 50 sports journalists throughout Europe, was claimed by the talented England midfielder on the 17th of November 2023. In a heartfelt video message on tuttosport.com, Bellingham expressed his gratitude to all who supported him for the award, saying: “I just wanted to thank everyone who voted for me for the 2023 Golden Boy. I really appreciate it."
His accolades keep piling up as of December 4, 2023, at the Golden Boy gala in Turin, Italy, Bellingham was awarded the Golden Boy Award for the best young player in Europe aged under 21. This prestigious accolade was accompanied by the web award secured through online fan voting. The ceremony, held on a Monday night, saw Bellingham make history by receiving the highest number of votes ever recorded in the award's 20-year history.
Notably, he clinched the main trophy with an overwhelming 97 per cent of the votes from a panel of journalists. This achievement mirrors that of Kylian Mbappe in 2017, albeit with a jury of 50 journalists compared to the 30 in Mbappe's year. Adding to the significance of the moment, Bellingham became the first player from Real Madrid to claim the Golden Boy Award. He won his first trophy, the Spanish Super Cup, at Real Madrid on January 14, 2024, as Los Blancos defeated arch-rivals Barcelona 4-1 at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
FIFA FIFPro Honour
On Jan 15, 2024, Jude Bellingham joined the prestigious 2023 Men’s World 11, thanking supporters for votes. Proud to share this with elite players, club-mates, and teammates, he highlights camaraderie and excellence in his football journey. In a post on X, the England international expresses gratitude: 'Very proud to be part of @fifpro World XI with amazing players, friends, and teammates. Thank you to those who voted. 🙌🏽🤝🏽'"
EA Sports Honour
On the 20th of January, only three days after receiving the FIFA Pro award, he was voted into EA Sports Team of The Year 2023, and he acknowledged the feat by posting against on X: "Back 2 back. Huge thank you to everyone who voted me into the @EASPORTSFC Team of the Year! 🙌🏽."
On May 14, 2024, after Real Madrid's 5-0 win over Alaves, Bellingham became the latest Englishman to win La Liga, joining Laurie Cunningham (1979–80), Steve McManaman (2000–01 and 2002–03), David Beckham (2006-07), and Kieran Trippier (2020-21).
Jude Bellingham Major Honours
England U17
Syrenka Cup: 2019
Borussia Dortmund
DFB-Pokal: 2020–21
Real Madrid
Supercopa [Spanish Super Cup]: 2023–24
La Liga: 2023–24
Champions League: 2023-24