Like his brother: Jobe Bellingham is moving to Borussia Dortmund – and the expectations of him are as high as they were for Jude

Pairs of brothers playing at the top level are rare. World Cup winners Bobby and Jack Charlton, who triumphed with England at the 1966 World Cup on home soil—they were both in the starting lineup—are legendary. The Neville brothers, Gary and Phil, also achieved considerable fame in England; they played together for Manchester United for years.

In Germany, brothers Eden and Thorgan Hazard once played successfully for Borussia Dortmund. The Bellingham family, whose sons Jude and Jobe are currently in the headlines, is expected to achieve similar feats. Jobe Bellingham, 19, signed for Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday – just like his brother Jude, who is two years older and now plays for Real Madrid. For the past two years, Jobe has played for AFC Sunderland, owned by Swiss side Kyril Louis-Dreyfus ; last season, the club secured promotion to the Premier League via a play-off. Now Jobe wants to gain international experience in the Bundesliga.

His acquisition is worth around 30 million euros to Dortmund – which means Jobe Bellingham cost more money than Jude did when he moved to BVB from Birmingham City in 2020. Jude's transfer fee of 25 million euros only later increased to 30 million due to a resale fee. In terms of total value, the transfer of Jobe Bellingham is considered the second most expensive purchase in Dortmund's club history. Only for Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé did BVB transfer more to Stade Rennes at the time. However, in this case, too, the sum of 35 million euros was only subsequently determined through additional down payments after the transfer to FC Barcelona – the transfer fee itself at the time was almost in the double-digit millions.

BVB management justifies the hefty price tag for Jobe Bellingham by believing that the player possesses a talent comparable to that of his brother and that he has the potential to develop just as promisingly. The club hopes to eventually sell Jobe for a substantial profit – as was the case with Jude, for whom Dortmund received €113 million from Real Madrid in 2023.

Jobe, who signed a contract with Dortmund until 2030, is also a so-called number eight: He plays in midfield and excels as a dynamic link between defense and attack. On the phone, German football coach David Wagner, who met Jobe Bellingham several times in England's second division with AFC Sunderland, reported that it was "extremely striking" how similar his physique, movement, and playing style were to those of his brother. His ball control and control appear as light-footed and fluid as Jude's. Furthermore, Jobe's specialty is driving the ball forward through the midfield with the same power. If the two didn't play for different clubs, it would be almost impossible to tell them apart, says Wagner.

The coach, who is currently working for Young Boys Bern in the 2021/22 season, sees one of the few differences between Jobe and Jude in their goal threat. In this regard, Jobe still lacks the "decisive drive" in the final third, he analyzes. The statistics bear this out: In 90 competitive matches for Sunderland, Bellingham has scored eleven goals and provided four assists; a significantly lower tally than his brother at the same age. His last goal involvement for Sunderland dates back to December 2024. The risk for Jobe Bellingham and the club lies in the expectation that he will advance BVB in a similar way to what Jude has achieved.

By signing Jobe, BVB is trying to implement the announced squad overhaul after the team only secured its participation in the Champions League again with great difficulty and caused "bitter disappointment on several occasions," as BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl recently criticized.

Dortmund already has several central midfielders – yet they still signed Bellingham. This suggests that the club is looking to part ways with some of these players. Given the high transfer fee, Bellingham is likely to be a fixture in midfield for the time being; he could play one of the two midfield positions. Alongside the equally powerful Felix Nmecha, BVB would then have plenty of power in the center.

Like Jude, Jobe Bellingham began his career at his boyhood club Birmingham City, for whom he made his debut in January 2022 at the age of 16. The fact that he is now making the same move to the Bundesliga, after a stop at Sunderland, speaks volumes about the young player's self-confidence. He clearly doesn't shy away from following in his older brother's footsteps. Perhaps the move abroad is also a plan to escape the constant scrutiny of the uneasy English tabloids.

The Bellinghams' discipline, clarity, and determination are sometimes reminiscent of their father's profession, a police officer who also had a respectable career as a goal-scorer in amateur football. To date, both parents have been primarily responsible for their children's interests. They have supported their ambitions from the very beginning. Mother Denise once moved with Jude to Dortmund, while father Mark stayed at home in Birmingham with the younger Jobe.

The efforts have long since paid off. A real highlight could soon await the Bellingham football family – should Jobe and Jude play against each other at the Club World Cup .