Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham is steadily finding his rhythm in Germany as he prepares for a return to England for his side’s Champions League showdown against Manchester City on Wednesday.
The 19-year-old joined Dortmund in the summer from Sunderland for €30.5 million ($35 million), making him one of the club’s most expensive signings. His move followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Jude Bellingham, who became a global football sensation after his own rise at Dortmund before joining Real Madrid in 2023.
While Jude’s legacy looms large, Jobe is beginning to carve his own path. This week’s match will mark his first appearance on English soil for his new club, adding extra emotion to an already high-stakes encounter.
How has Jobe Bellingham adjusted to life at Dortmund?
Jobe admitted early on that comparisons with his brother weighed heavily on his mind. “It’s something you do think about. You have these anxieties, especially me as I’m only young,” he told reporters during pre-season. “I’m not perfect. I do think about these things.”
To ease the pressure, he chose to wear “Jobe” on his shirt rather than his last name, a decision symbolizing his determination to build his own identity. His early months at Dortmund were challenging. Despite showing promise during the Club World Cup, where he scored once and provided an assist in three starts, Jobe initially struggled to make an impact in the Bundesliga.
He was substituted at halftime in his first league game, an incident that escalated after his father and agent, Mark Bellingham, confronted Dortmund’s sporting director, Sebastian Kehl in frustration. The club later emphasized that “the active area is and remains reserved for players, coaches and management, not families and advisors.”
Following a brief spell on the bench, Jobe worked hard to regain the coach’s trust. His persistence began to pay off. After a costly mistake in mid-October against Bayern Munich, where he failed to clear a ball off the line leading to a decisive goal, Jobe bounced back quickly.
Just three days later, he started in Dortmund’s Champions League win over Copenhagen, providing two assists in a 4–2 victory. The momentum continued as he helped set up Dortmund’s equaliser in their German Cup tie against Eintracht Frankfurt, which they later won on penalties.
Last weekend, his gritty performance against Augsburg, where he made a crucial block in the final minutes of a 1–0 win, further demonstrated his growing confidence and work ethic.
What do Dortmund’s leaders say about Jobe’s progress?
Inside Dortmund, there is a growing sense of optimism about Jobe’s development. A club source told Bild that the midfielder is expected to start against Manchester City, describing his growth as “ahead of schedule.”
Head coach Niko Kovac also praised the young Englishman’s progress. “You could see in our last game against Frankfurt what qualities he has. He’s present. He’s physical. I’m not concerned, on the contrary, I know what he can do. We’re building him up slowly here and it’s going even faster than what I had imagined myself, because the lad really has a lot of quality.”
Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel echoed the same confidence, adding, “Jobe is doing great, he’s been good in the last few games too. He’s getting better week to week, outstanding.”
By Yockshard Enyendi