Jude Bellingham blazes a trail for footballers in new docuseries

Soccer is at the dawn of another digital revolution. There should be little doubt that a new docuseries surrounding Jude Bellingham titled Out of the Floodlights provides a glimpse of the dynamics that will shape soccer over the next several years.

While it might retrospectively feel like an eternity has passed, Wayne Rooney’s early social media use, which amusingly provided readers with uncensored insights into his daily thought process, was only over a decade ago.

As players’ social media use has gradually become sophisticated, intentional, and even monetizable, managerial and board-level authorities in professional soccer have been scrambling to adapt to the implications of the new digital world.

Social media has given soccer players the power to control the narratives surrounding their brand, influence their transfer or contract status, and, in some cases, the external perception of their managers.

But just as sophisticated social media use has become normalized, Bellingham’s YouTube channel suggests the next leap in soccer’s digital transformation is already underway, and the balance of power will shift in ways few could have predicted.

What is ‘Out of the Floodlights’?

Bellingham’s ‘Out of the Floodlights’ is a four-part fly-on-the-wall docuseries that details behind-the-scenes coverage of the 21-year-old’s 2023 exit from Borussia Dortmund, through to a trophy-filled season with Real Madrid, and ending upon the conclusion of England’s EURO 2024 campaign.

It’s engaging, if slightly idealized. The level of cinematic intelligence, glamour, and insight is something unprecedented for a soccer-based documentary. Bellingham’s camera crew follows him through the illustrious Real Madrid changing rooms, to ‘Golden Boy’ award ceremonies, and his Birmingham family home.

The Bellingham family, seemingly a tightly bonded quartet, comes across well. After all, they do have full editorial control. Jude successfully diverts negative media reporting detailing his supposed disruptive impact on Dortmund. He instead appears intelligent, likable and team-driven.

Bellingham, as evidenced by countless media appearances away from his YouTube channel, does possess such attributes. But, through his presumably carefully curated digital persona, edited to display his most favorable moments across a year, the England international superstar can portray a perfect, idealized version of himself and his family life.

How the Jude Bellingham docuseries changes soccer

Bellingham, a 21-year-old, is already among the most marketable athletes in the world. He filmed his first series during a record-breaking and Champions League-winning first season at Real Madrid. It is hard to argue too deeply against his idealized projection of self.

But what happens when Bellingham’s career takes a turn, which at some point, will happen? The midfielder would have to be perfect not to experience a loss of form, off-field controversy, or a falling out with a teammate or manager at some point during his propitious-looking career.

England’s superstar will have the power to instantaneously distort reality. That provides favorable, even manipulated, accounts of events in high-definition to his rapidly growing audience. It is not to say that Bellingham will. However, the potential for inaccuracy, perhaps to the detriment of teammates, coaches, or clubs, is there.

As Bellingham blazes a trail in self-produced media, the rest of the soccer world may soon follow suit. At some point in the future, separate camera crews could follow several players from the same team. Each of them may have contrasting recollections of reality. Is it unreasonable to believe exaggerated depictions of clashes between players could play out in dramatized reality TV-styled YouTube clips?

The emphasis and interest in team success is only likely to lessen. Audiences, particularly those who’ll grow up consuming it, absorb themselves in individual player’s content. For context, Bellingham’s month-old YouTube channel already has more subscribers than all but eight Premier League clubs.

This could be an opening of Pandora’s box moment that nobody foresaw.

PHOTOS: IMAGO