Following his first nine games at Borussia Dortmund, Jobe Bellingham has been the subject of criticism from the German media. Jude used the Bundesliga powerhouses as a crucial stepping stone on his journey to become one of the best midfielders in the world, and the English teenager, who recently turned 20, hopes to follow in his brother’s footsteps after his £27.8 million move from Sunderland over the summer.
In recent years, Signal Iduna Park has emerged as a haven for up-and-coming English talent, with players like Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Jadon Sancho also making waves in Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia. However, as demonstrated by Sancho’s ongoing difficulties at Manchester United, success in front of the “Yellow Wall” does not equate to success elsewhere. As such, the next member of the Bellingham family should be cautious about gaining a solid foundation before thinking about moving outside of Dortmund.
He has already made nine appearances for his new team in all competitions, frequently starting off the bench to take Felix Nmecha’s spot and play in a midfield four with Marcel Sabitzer. Even while your last name implies that it should be, there are early indications that things aren’t always better on the other side.
After nine games, Jobe Bellingham was given a verdict by the German media.
Bellingham has struggled, but talented players typically flourish in Dortmund, where Signal Iduna Park gives them more confidence. German news site Ran rated him the lowest of the team with a 5/10 after he started Wednesday night’s 4-1 Champions League victory over Athletic Bilbao, writing:
Another subpar showing from the Englishman, who was consistently outplayed defensively and had few noteworthy ball-playing ideas. The game wasn’t really helpful; it was more of a byproduct. He finished his workday 69 minutes later.
Jude’s parents, Mark and Denise Bellingham, were seen sitting separately in the VIP area throughout the match, according to German publication BILD, which is making matters worse. According to the article, Denise remained aloof while Mark talked “almost exclusively” to another family member, indicating a tense relationship. The report claims that Jude’s confidence and performance at the club are being negatively impacted by this tension.
According to the same report: “There is a dangerous atmosphere of tension surrounding the family, which is currently causing Jobe to feel massively insecure and putting him under pressure.” The 20-year-old has had a difficult time adjusting to life at Dortmund; earlier this season, there were rumours that his parents were barred from the locker room following an intense altercation with Niko Kovac.
Statistics for Jobe Bellingham (2025/26)
Competition
Looks
Objectives
Helps
The number of minutes played
Bundesliga
6.
0
0
187
League of Champions
2.
0
0
88
DFB Pokal
One
0
0
26
Another news source, Spox, graded Bellingham’s performance a 4 out of 10. They wrote: “The new signing celebrated his Champions League debut in the starting eleven, beginning with a misplaced pass after two minutes, which Bilbao failed to capitalise on.”
In general, he has to be more dominant in one-on-one situations and apply a little more pressure to the ball carrier. His performance hardly merited a starting position.
Now, it raises the question of whether the midfield player would have been better suited playing Premier League games at Sunderland for an additional season. Regis Le Bris has the Black Cats in ninth place after seven games, with just two losses.
Bellingham is already only a faint memory at the Stadium of Light after a hectic summer transfer window that saw 14 new recruits. He still has plenty of time to turn things around, so it’s unclear if he’ll be regretting it later in the season, but for now, it looks like everything is against him, both on and off the pitch.
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