Borussia Dortmund is back to winning ways at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, thanks in part to a name that fans in black and yellow know very well. In just his second appearance for the club, Jobe Bellingham scored his first goal for Dortmund, marking a milestone in what could be the start of a powerful new legacy at the Westfalenstadion. But with every step Jobe takes, comparisons to his older brother, Jude, continue to emerge — and for good reason.
Jobe Bellingham, just 19 years old, made an immediate impact during his full starting debut in a 4-3 win over Mamelodi Sundowns. Positioned unusually high up the pitch, the midfielder capitalized on a deflected ball in the 45th minute, controlling it with his chest before firing a shot past the goalkeeper. The ball took a slight deflection, but the strike was clinical — and symbolic.
Of course, the inevitable question lingered: how does this compare to Jude Bellingham’s start at Dortmund? Jude scored on his debut for the German club back in September 2020, in a 5-0 win over MSV Duisburg in the German Cup — a goal that came just 15 minutes faster than Jobe’s.
Over the course of his Dortmund career, Jude netted 24 goals in 132 matches before making a high-profile switch to Real Madrid in 2023. Now a Galactico and one of the most celebrated midfielders in the world, Jude’s legacy at Dortmund set a daunting standard for his younger brother.
Yet Jobe, who notably refused to wear his surname on the back of his shirt during his Sunderland days, insists on forging his own path. “He doesn’t want to live at the expense of his brother’s last name,” said former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray at the time. “He wants to be the footballer he is and show people what he can do.”
Not just a midfielder
Though typically a central midfielder, Jobe played further forward in this match, replacing Karim Adeyemi on the attacking axis. This tactical tweak allowed him to play with more freedom in the final third — and it paid off. His sharp movement and ability to arrive late into the box drew comparisons to some of the game’s great midfielders.
