Words by Shayni Solanki
He’s breaking records and winning Ballon D’ors – we clearly need to start giving Jude Bellingham his dues.
It was probably a magical day in the West Midlands when Jude Bellingham was born. Growing up in Stourbridge, always playing football, he joined Birmingham City as an under-8 before going on to become their youngest first-team player in 2019 at just 16 years old.
Not only that, he’s represented the English national team in the under-15, under-16, under-17, and under-21 levels. A dream come true for most British footballers, Bellingham has furthermore made it onto the senior team. We don’t usually like speaking about the Euros, but it’s a huge feat for him to make the team.
On the squad for both the 2020 Euro squad and 2022 World Cup, it’s clear he’s here to stay. Already, Bellingham and our current English team have made history, bringing England way closer to finals than any team in our recent history. We’ve all loved seeing him at home in the England squad and can’t wait to see more.
Unstoppable since his move to Real Madrid earlier this year, Bellingham has really found his element and taken the world of football by storm. Since joining Real Madrid, he’s scored 15 goals in 16 matches. For a 20-year-old, that’s pretty impressive.
Legends like Cristiano Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Zinedane Zidane, and so many more have played for Real Madrid. Just recently, Bellingham even became the first player to score in each of his first four Champions League games for Real Madrid.
As young as he is, there’s no lack of skill to be found in his ball play. He’s unlocking new records every time he steps on a pitch, and comparisons are already being drawn to Cristiano Ronaldo after breaking the Real Madrid goalscoring record once held by the Portuguese legend. He now has the most goals by any Real Madrid player in their first 15 games.
At the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony, the Stourbridge native became the first Englishman to win the Kopa Trophy. For those who don’t know what that means, he was essentially recognised as the best performing under-21 player, joining other winners of the award such as icon Kylian Mbappé. An all round good guy, Bellingham’s the type who even brings his parents to the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
A €103 million signing, Bellingham is an expensive but quality player. He’s proved that every touch he places upon a ball is worth at least a million. He has a bright future ahead, and we can’t wait to watch him cement himself as one of the greatest English footballers to grace the pitch.