THE RISE AND RISE OF BELLINGHAM
It was a historic night on Glasgow’s south side, Scotland v England to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the world’s oldest international fixture. The occasion was dominated by the youngest player on the pitch, who turned an exhibition match into a personal crusade.
Recently turned 20, and in the midst of a remarkable burst of goalscoring form for Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham was already big news.
But, in common with so many in the Hampden crowd, this was my first opportunity to gauge first hand just how special he might be. A strutting, goalscoring performance answered the question emphatically. Strong, quick and technically flawless, it was clear that Bellingham operated on a rarefied plain.
Someone was always going to write a book on the subject; I couldn’t have dreamed that within 12 months it would be me.
The commission for Hey Jude sprang from left-field. Although the Bellingham family politely declined to co-operate, I made it my mission to get as close to the story as I could.
I got myself down to Birmingham, where he became a first-team regular at 16 and defied the advances of a clutch of Premier League to earn his local club a thumping transfer fee through his next intriguing career move.
I visited Germany to get a feel for the city of Dortmund and the atmospheric Westfalen Stadium where he spent three years developing his game to the point where the world’s biggest football club came calling.
Best of all, I flew to Spain to see Jude do his thing at the Bernebeu, and sat down with Madrid’s assistant manager Davide Ancelotti - son of Carlo - for an extended interview.
It’s not overstating things to say that Bellingham’s first season with Los Blancos was a sensation.
His choice of shirt number - the No.5 jersey made famous by Zinedine Zidane - showed he had no problem in piling pressure on his broad shoulders.
A total of 13 goals in his first 13 games, culminating in a match-winning double against Barcelona in his first El Clasico, showcased the work of a seasoned elite striker - not that of a kid trying out a new position in an unfamiliar country.
By the end of the campaign he’d won Spain’s domestic title, the Champions League and been crowned La Liga’s player of the year.
Jude often references the tight and nurturing family support system around he and his younger brother Jobe, himself a promising player at Sunderland. It was parents Mark and Denise who had the foresight to guide Jude away from the spotlight and pressure of the EPL in favour of Dortmund, where first-team minutes and Champions League experience were guaranteed far from the media glare that developed into a minor backlash during the Euro 2024 finals.
Despite helping England reach the final and providing a moment for the ages with his overhead kick winner against Slovenia, a visibly tired Bellingham came under scrutiny last summer for everything from his body language to his failure to conduct ‘enough’ press interviews.
The Bellinghams have an uneasy relationship with traditional media and have established their own channels from which a substantial YouTube documentary has already emerged.
I came to this project minus any of the preconceptions or hang-ups that perhaps coloured some of the coverage at the Euros. It’s not a traditional biography (he’s too young for that!) but it does attempt to unpick the character behind the carefully curated Instagram posts. It also examines the challenges, physical and mental, which lie ahead for a young man with the world at his feet.
Hey Jude by Graeme Croser is available now (Arena Sport, £12.99)