As the 2026 FIFA World Cup inches one more week closer, another star player that is coming to the Meadowlands for the tournament is being put into the spotlight. This week, the attention will be shifted towards Jude Bellingham, a midfielder for England. At just 22 years old, Bellingham will be making his second FIFA World Cup appearance.
Bellingham’s talents were undeniable from an early age, as he joined Birmingham City and played for their under-23 team at the age of 15. In his debut, Bellingham entered the game and scored the only goal of the match in the 87th minute.
In July 2019, Bellingham began a two-year scholarship with Birmingham City. As he began to play for the senior team, he became the youngest first-team player in the club’s history. Bellingham continued to impress during his time with the club, becoming their youngest goalscorer and started to draw significant interest from major clubs.
On July 20, 2020, Bellingham transferred to Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, impressed by their ability to feature young players in first-team squads and develop them further. Bellingham made his debut for the club on Sept. 14, 2020 in the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) and scored, becoming the club’s youngest goalscorer in the tournament. His impressive performances led to him being named as the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month for September.
Bellingham became a consistent starter for Borussia Dortmund, appearing in domestic league matches and Champions League games. His first season with the club ended with him making 46 appearances across all competitions, scoring four goals. He was the runner-up for the 2021 Kopa Trophy, which is given to the best under-21 male player and is voted on by previous Ballon d’Or winners.
In the 2022-23 season, Bellingham continued to progress as a player, earning the honors of Bundesliga Player of the Season. Additionally, after falling short in 2021, Bellingham won the 2023 Kopa Trophy, becoming the first English player to receive the award.
On Jun 14. 2023, La Liga club Real Madrid signed Bellingham on a six-year contract. Bellingham began his career at Real Madrid with a goal, scoring in his debut match against Athletic Bilbao. Bellingham scored three more goals in his next three matches, earning him the honors of La Liga Player of the Month. In his first appearance in El Clásico, the iconic rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona, Bellingham scored a stoppage-time winner for the club.
Bellingham’s first season with Real Madrid ended successfully, as he finished as the team’s top goalscorer, recording 19 goals and six assists. Real Madrid also went on to win the La Liga title, with much credit going to Bellingham, who even earned the La Liga Player of the Season award. Real Madrid and Bellingham also won the Champions League final against his former team, Borussia Dortmund, by a score of 2-0. Bellingham continues to play for Real Madrid, as the team currently sits at second place in La Liga.
Bellingham made his international debut for the England national team on Nov. 12, 2020 in a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland, coming in as a substitute. He played in the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament in June 2021, due to delays from the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming the English player to participate in a major tournament.
At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Bellingham’s first international goal came in a 6-2 win over Iran in the opening round of the tournament. For England, the tournament ended in a quarter-finals loss to France.
Bellingham also played in the UEFA Euro 2024, where he earned player of the match honors twice, recording a game-tying goal in the 95th minute during the round of 16 to keep England’s hopes alive. England would go on to reach the final match, but fall to Spain.
Bellingham has been one of England’s most electrifying players on the global stage and will look to make a deeper run this summer for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. England will be coming to MetLife Stadium on Jun 27, as the team takes on Panama. Bellingham will be one of the most significant players for England, as the team looks for its first win in the tournament since 1966.