Jobe is expected to shine brighter than his brother Jude Bellingham, and now he is still flying high in the Sunderland shirt.
Shortly after completing a £1.5 million ($1.9 million) move to Sunderland this summer, Jobe Bellingham informed the club that he wanted his initials printed on the No. 7 shirt. new. It was a decision that reflected his desire to build his own legacy in football – and when you have a family like Bellingham’s, it’s not surprising that he wanted to create his own distinct identity.
Of course, Jobe’s older brother is Jude Bellingham, who has quickly become a leading contender for the 2024 Ballon d’Or award after a series of inspirational performances for Real Madrid. While Jobe is negotiating a move to the Stadium of Light, his brother is preparing to move to the Spanish capital, having completed an impressive transfer worth £108m (133m dollars) also this summer.
Living in the shadow of such enormous talent is certainly a great pressure. But Bellingham did not let his potential be overwhelmed. While Jude is making waves globally, his younger brother has created huge attention at home.
Jobe Bellingham bio
Not just Jobe’s brother has high expectations for the Sunderland star. As children, their father, Mark, was a famous football player. Despite becoming a police officer, Bellingham Sr. became one of the best amateur strikers in history, scoring almost 700 goals in 20 years.
A stunning free-kick against Fairfield Villa gave Paget Rangers their 700th in 2016. After that match, he modestly told Non-League Paper: “Most of my 700 goals have come from close, so I think I owe my teammates more than they owe me!”
Both of Bellingham Sr.’s boys are in the Birmingham City academy when he retires from goal-scoring. Jude made the first team at 16 and had his number retired when he joined Borussia Dortmund in 2021, while his older brother grew more slowly.
He was brought up to the bench in two Carabao Cup matches at the start of 2021-22 but did not play. He would have surpassed Jude as Birmingham City’s youngest player if he had played. Bellingham made his FA Cup debut against Plymouth Argyle in January 2022. Manager Lee Bowyer commended the young man after the match: “I told him: ‘You played very well, as a 16-year-old boy you dominated the field, made no mistakes, tried to do the right things and when he made a mistake, he ran back and defended in his box’.”
Bellingham used his first chance in the St Andrew’s first team to practice with the professional team and obtain additional minutes in 2022-2023. Before joining Sunderland, he had played 26 games for his hometown club without scoring or assisting.
Big progress
Although Bellingham is under 18 and has only played a few key matches in the second level, few expected him to start immediately after going to the Stadium of Light. He stood out as an attacking midfielder in Tony Mowbray’s Championship opener against Ipswich.
Sunderland lost that game and their second away at Preston North End, but Bellingham’s early career excited fans. His following outing against Rotherham at the weekend ended all that promise when he scored well.
Two minutes after Rotherham’s opener, Bellingham scored their first career goal, hitting home from close range after nice work from Dan Neil. He scored the winner immediately after the restart, flicking Bradley Dack’s cross into the bottom corner like a pro. Jobe arrived and won for the first time in his career.
After the game, Mowbray told BBC Radio Newcastle: “His passion to understand football is his greatest asset. He’s 17, but he works daily. Why am I doing this, he asked the coach? Where to go? Want me to do what? I enjoy working with him and am delighted he’s scored some goals to help the club win.”
How did it happen?
Sunderland’s first team has relied on Bellingham since his debut, missing only one game in 21 Championship fixtures. Due to injuries, he has played several positions.
Bellingham has played mostly as a false striker, but he has also played behind a striker and in midfield. His least successful matches may have been in this role.
Injury and suspension have forced Jobe to play a deeper role at number 8 alongside Dan Neil or Pierre Ekwah. Due to his lack of defensive instincts, he appears uncomfortable in the role, which may decrease his influence “Dan Harrison, a writer and analyst for Sunderland supporters website Roker Report, told GOAL.
Bellingham enjoyed himself when playing higher on the field. He scored against his former team Birmingham in November and assisted Abdoullah Ba in the home win over Watford.
Bellingham told Sky Sports that Mowbray helped him develop, thus his December sacking may have hampered this progress.
“He matured me as a player quickly. He’s relieved our match pressure, which is excellent. You feel like you’re performing.” He thanked him for the chance to work with him.
Bellingham have continued their good form under temporary manager Mike Dodd, who worked with the player and his brother at Birmingham and helped bring him to the club.
Dodd helped Bellingham score against Leeds goalkeeper Meslier to secure three crucial points for the Black Cats, his most critical moment of his career.
Strength
Where do you want to start? Bellingham has a unique profile for a player of his age, an interesting combination of technical ability, athleticism and composure.
“His natural form stood out early on,” Harrison added when GOAL asked about Bellingham’s outstanding qualities.
“Whether it’s the ability to keep the ball intelligently through pull-ups or the ability to receive the ball with a quick turn almost anywhere on the field without pressure. The most important elements of He to me is the uncoachable element, his overall awareness and reading of the game is far beyond that of the average teenager and he has the ability to turn up at the right time for Sunderland in several matches this season.”
These strengths are easy to see if you watch Bellingham live. It’s amazing how calmly he keeps the ball while having so little experience at the top level. His physical presence is also worth noting.
With five centimeters more height than his brother Jube and significant growth since his professional debut, Bellingham can resist challenge and win the ball in the air. Teammate Neil had a pretty good summary after his first double against Rotherham, describing him as “a strange creature physically.”
He added: “Technically, he is a top player. He has come here to play in front of 40,000 fans every week and that is something he has to deal with mentally, as we can see clearly He’s a very good technical, physical and tactical player. It’s a different challenge playing here in front of these fans, but based on what I’ve seen of his character, he He will face it well.”
Bellingham’s comfort playing in front of more than 40,000 fans each week is a testament to his incredible maturity. After scoring that decisive goal against Leeds, he participated in media interviews and spoke like someone with 10 years of experience in football, calmly analyzing the match from a tactical and communication perspective. Leadership skills far beyond his youth.
What should improve?
It may seem harsh, but Bellingham may need to score more to become a great striker. He has scored well this season, but the top strikers are more ruthless in the box.
Bellingham may also overplay when needed. Mowbray maintains that he has been pounded out of this trait since joining Sunderland, but he still plays in a “heroic” style that occasionally hurts the team.
Defense needs work too. Bellingham has a good game sense for his age, although he can be overtaken in deeper midfield roles.
This should not detract from his progress since joining his new team, and with his allegedly strong work ethic, he can continue to improve quickly. in approaching years.
Jude Bellingham 2.0?
Jobe tries to distinguish himself, but the Bellingham family genetics make the brothers seem alike. Their playing styles are comparable too.
After beating Leeds, Dodds said: “Both brothers are driven to achieve their ambitions. Jobe can succeed, I think. He’s one of the best young players I’ve worked with.”
Off the field, the brothers are close. Jobe was in the spotlight when Jude signed his first Birmingham deal and was announced as a Real Madrid player. They also hang together, flying to Paris with Marcus Rashford and Michael Ward for a Louis Vuitton fashion show in July.
Despite their strong bond, Jobe will struggle with being compared to a future Ballon d’Or winner. Jude’s global renown means his little brother has almost two million Instagram followers, a startling number for a Championship prospect, and it will only grow, increasing pressure on him. Bellingham’s mental strength shows he can handle the pressure, fortunately for Sunderland.
What’s next?
Bellingham will succeed if he trusts his brothers. After becoming Golden Boy in 2023, he was asked whose youthful talent will win.
“You will mention three names,” he said. “Arda Guler is amazing to see train. My former Borussia Dortmund teammate Jamie Bynoe-Gittens follows. Last, my brother Jobe, a purebred striker like our father.”
He says, “I know playing box-to-box [midfielder] is what I like.” His brothers perceive him as a striker, but Bellingham is unsure. most, because you can tackle and attack. I can do more than that position, but I think I can be a striker or 10. I want to score goals because I want to. Not from somewhere else. Healthy pressure. An inspiration.”
Bellingham may play as a second striker in the future, however such teams are unusual. He can get inside the box and stay involved in the attacking build-up from this position.
Which team will you play for? Sunderland fans believe he would join them in the Premier League, but a move to Madrid was hinted just a few months ago.
If Jobe keeps improving, the Bellingham brothers may wear the England shirt together. New brothers are challenging Charlton, Baresi, and De Boer for the crown.