Who is Jobe Bellingham? 18-year-old brother of Jude linked with Real Madrid move

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 17 Oct 2023 16:50 BST
• 4 min read

Jude Bellingham is a Galactico after being snapped up by Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund for an eye-watering €103 million.

But did you know that there is another Bellingham who could very well reach the same heights as his famous brother? Jobe Bellingham is starring for Sunderland in the Championship after moving there from boyhood club Birmingham City.

At just 17 years of age - the same age at which his brother made the decision to head to Dortmund - Jobe already had 29 senior appearances under his belt. He is, unsurprisingly, one of the biggest talents in England.

After recently turning 18, Bellingham Jr has now caught the attention of Real Madrid, who may try to reunite him with his brother. So, what kind of player is Jobe, and is he similar to Jude?

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What position does Jobe Bellingham Simons play?

Like his brother, Jobe Bellingham plays as an attack-minded central midfielder.

How good is Jobe Bellingham?

As he is still very young, it is difficult to provide a full appraisal of Bellingham's talents but the early signs are promising, just like they were with Jude.

Jobe does indeed play a bit like his brother in that both are blessed with excellent athleticism as well as a lovely balance on the ball when in possession, allowing him to drift through midfield into space with ease.

In 2021/22, Bellingham was included in Birmingham's League Cup squad against Colchester despite being just 15 at the time. He became the club's second-youngest debutant when he was substituted into an FA Cup clash with Plymouth Argyle in 2021.

The 18-year-old joined Sunderland in the summer of 2023 and made an instant impact, scoring a brace - his first goals in professional football - in just his fourth appearance for the Black Cats. Bellingham has also featured for England's U18s and U19s.

What clubs are interested in Jobe Bellingham?

When the youngster initially came through at Birmingham, there were reports that he could follow in his brother's footsteps and also make the jump to Borussia Dortmund, but nothing ultimately came of those rumours.

Having only just signed for Sunderland, Bellingham likely won't move again anytime soon. Premier League clubs are monitoring the youngster, however. Liverpool, who had also tried to sign Jude, were linked with Jobe in January, as were Tottenham.

More recently, reports in Spain claimed that Real Madrid had watched Jobe in action for England's U19s and Florentino Perez was delighted by what he was told about him from his scouts.

When does Jobe Bellingham's contract expire?

The exact length of Bellingham's contract is unknown, but it is rumoured that he signed a four-year deal that is set to expire on June 30, 2027.

How old is Jobe Bellingham?

Bellingham was born on 23 September 2005, making him 18 years old.

What is Jobe Bellingham's Instagram?

Bellingham's Instagram has 1.4 million followers as of October 2023.