By Martin Graham
Jobe Bellingham’s first months a Borussia Dortmund It didn’t go as well as I would have hoped.
After a positive performance at the Club World Cup in the summer, where he scored a goal and an assist in four games, and some encouraging pre-season performances, manager Niko Kovac rewarded the 20-year-old with a starting spot for the Bundesliga opener against Saint Paul in August
But his debut didn’t last long. Bellingham retired at halftime, a decision that would later lead to tension off the field.
His father Mark Bellingham reportedly went into the players’ tunnel after the game to confront sporting director Sebastian Kehl, displeased with both his son’s early substitution and the team’s poor display. Dortmund had let a 3-1 lead slip away, eventually drawing 3-3 after a late red card for young defender Filippo Mane.
The club’s management were unhappy with the scene, although Kehl played down the matter, with general manager Lars Ricken explaining that the Bellingham family had been waiting near the dressing room to greet Jobe after his first Bundesliga appearance. He said the conversation was emotional but friendly and the issue was resolved quickly.
Finding the right position
From the meeting of St. Pauli, Bellingham’s minutes in the league have been limited, though his reduced participation was unrelated to his father’s postgame confrontation.
He was again named to the starting eleven in the next league match against Union Berlin before being replaced in the second half by Felix Nmecha. His first appearance had come as an advanced midfielder behind two strikers, but Kovac has since switched to a system based on two central midfielders and an attacking trio.
This tactical change has left Bellingham’s best place on the field uncertain. At Sunderland last season, he thrived alongside a deeper midfield. Dortmund, however, already have Nmecha for defensive duties and rely on Pascal Gross or Marcel Sabitzer to bring stability in the middle.
Of his 14 starts in all competitions so far, nine have been off the bench, although he has still featured in every game and even started in the Champions League against Athletic Club and Copenhagen, providing two assists in the latter. These performances underline Dortmund’s intention to nurture him carefully.
However, fitting in the cameo appearances has been difficult. His toughest moment came in the Bundesliga ‘Klassiker’ against Bayern Munich when, after entering the field with his side a goal down, he was involved in an unfortunate sequence that led to Bayern’s second. Trying to block Luis DÃaz’s shot, he accidentally stepped on the ball and allowed Michael Olise to score. He summed up his early frustrations: willing, present, but still not having the impact he wants.
Learning curve and future promise
Bellingham came to Germany from Sunderland in the midst of important expectations. Dortmund spent roughly the same amount on him as they did on his older brother Jude five years earlier, making comparisons natural.
But while Jude burst onto the scene at the age of 17 and quickly became one of the best midfielders in Europe, Jobe’s development path has been more gradual. Dortmund, however, were hoping to replicate that success story and were quick to highlight the parallels between the two brothers’ journeys.
The reality, however, has been more temperate. The early hype, fueled by his summer form, set the bar high. However, in recent weeks, signs of improvement have begun to appear. Bellingham played the full 120 minutes of the German Cup win over Eintracht Frankfurt and impressed with his energy in the league game against Augsburg, where Dortmund held a narrow lead.
Manager Niko Kovac has praised the youngster’s progress, highlighting how quickly he has adapted and the quality he continues to show.
With veteran options like Sabitzer struggling for form and Gross approaching the latter stages of his career, Bellingham’s prospects for a regular starting spot appear to be growing. The promotion may not reflect Jude’s remarkable rise, but Dortmund believes patience and time could yet produce another success story in the Bellingham family.
