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Jobe Bellingham has earned his first senior England call-up, following a career path very similar to that of his older brother, Jude. The 21-year-old midfielder joins the squad alongside his 23-year-old brother, who stars for Real Madrid, in what England manager Thomas Tuchel described as a beautiful story.
A Similar Path to Stardom
Like his brother, Jobe began his career in the Birmingham City academy before making a high-profile move. Jobe debuted for Birmingham at 16 years and 107 days old, just 69 days older than Jude was at his senior debut. After moving to Sunderland and helping them win promotion to the Premier League, Jobe joined German club Borussia Dortmund at the age of 19 in a transfer worth up to £31 million. Jude had also moved to Dortmund at 17 before making his way to Spain.
Constant comparisons to his older sibling have been a challenge for Jobe throughout his career. To establish his own identity, he chooses to wear ‘Jobe’ on his shirt instead of his family name, following a coach’s advice to show he is going his own way. Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live that the brothers are close and good for each other, noting that having Jude in the team will make the camp easier for Jobe. However, the manager emphasized that the younger midfielder earned his spot on his own merits.
Stepping Up for the Three Lions
Jobe plays a different role than Jude, operating deeper in the central midfield while maintaining a strong physical presence and good ball skills. As captain of the England Under-21 side, he received strong backing for senior recognition from Young Lions head coach Lee Carsley. Tuchel praised Jobe as the standout player who earned his way, found his rhythm at Dortmund, and started the season as an influential regular starter.
With Arsenal midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly suspended and Bournemouth player Alex Scott injured, Tuchel stated that a natural opportunity opened up for Jobe. England will host Croatia at Wembley on Thursday, 12 November, before traveling to Madrid to play Spain on 15 November. Tuchel noted that the player has an open and calm personality, possesses a strong physical build, and is eager to impress during the upcoming fixtures.
Brotherly Legacies in England’s Squad
Should they appear on the pitch together, Jude and Jobe will follow in the footsteps of other sibling pairs who represented the Three Lions. Gary and Phil Neville last played together for England 19 years ago and started a match together 30 years ago, following Bobby and Jack Charlton. Jack and Bobby both featured in England’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad, with Bobby earning 106 caps and Jack winning 35 caps after debuting just before his 30th birthday.
More recently, brothers Nathaniel and Trevoh Chalobah both represented England without playing alongside each other. Nathaniel made a single substitute appearance in 2018, while Trevoh made his debut against Senegal in June 2025 and featured in the 2026 World Cup squad.
Development in Germany
Jobe’s progress has accelerated following early struggles after his winter move from Sunderland to Borussia Dortmund, where he initially appeared timid. Dortmund manager Niko Kovac admitted surprise at how long it took the player to settle, but gym work to build muscle mass and regular playing time aided his growth. Despite Dortmund signing Dutch midfielder Joey Veerman in August, Kovac has recently deployed Jobe further forward as a number 10, where his pace and pressing intensity shone during a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich.
England faces Croatia at Wembley before taking on Spain in Madrid.
