Jobe Bellingham is determined not to be seen as merely following in the footsteps of his older brother, Jude Bellingham, at Borussia Dortmund. Instead, he is focused on forging his own identity with Die Borussen.
Borussia Dortmund secured a thrilling 4-3 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns in a Group F match at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, held at TQL Stadium in Ohio on Saturday, June 21. The German side triumphed thanks to goals from Felix Nmecha, Serhou Guirassy, Jobe Bellingham, and an own goal by Khuliso Mudau. Mamelodi responded with goals from Lucas Ribeiro, Iqraam Rayners, and Lebo Mothiba.
Jobe’s goal marked his debut strike for Dortmund, coming shortly after his €30 million summer move from Sunderland. His impressive performance sparked comparisons to Jude, raising expectations that he might emulate his brother’s success.
Jude Bellingham was a key figure for Dortmund between 2021 and 2023, registering 24 goals and 25 assists in 132 appearances before his high-profile transfer to Real Madrid.
Despite the parallels, Jobe has made it clear that he does not aspire to replicate Jude’s path. His decision to join Dortmund was not driven by a desire to follow his brother, but by a belief in the club’s ability to nurture his own potential.
In fact, Jobe initially turned down several approaches from Dortmund in an effort to avoid being seen as riding on Jude’s legacy. However, Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke eventually convinced him that the club could help him grow on his own terms.
"Although it might sound contradictory, I actually turned Dortmund down for quite a while," Jobe told Yahoo Sports. "I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to be myself. But it would have been just as wrong to go somewhere else simply because Jude had been here."
"Watzke told me it’s not about being different it’s about finding the right path," he continued. "And if that path is Dortmund just like it has been for many young players then why not? Dortmund fought hard and long to convince me."
