Sunderland community special for the Bellingham family as Jobe endears himself to Wearside
Jobe Bellingham’s family have shown their pride in their younger son since his move to Sunderland, as shown in a recent global documentary.
“Out of the Floodlights” is a documentary on YouTube centring around Jude Bellingham’s illustrious early career which has taken him from Birmingham City to Real Madrid via Borussia Dortmund alongside his England exploits.
Younger brother Jobe, who turned 19 earlier this week, has forged his own path with a move to the Stadium of Light from Birmingham in the summer of 2023, becoming an instant hit in a youthful side and a mainstay in attacking midfield across four separate head coaches.
Bellingham’s father Mark was shown in the first episode, aired on 12 September, discussing Jobe’s Black Cats transfer the day after Jude had completed his Bernabeu switch, as quoted in the Sunderland Echo [26 September]: “Yesterday was nice, now it feels like I want Jobe to have his day.
“Finally for someone to say, ‘He’s not Jude’s brother’. We’ve got the Sunderland fans – no connection to Jude now – who can just say, ‘That’s Jobe, he’s ours’.”
Jobe Bellingham making his own mark with Sunderland
For a lad of 19, Jobe Bellingham is not just a terrific footballer, but has shown an incredible maturity as part of a real close-knit, grounded family environment.
Electing to have simply ‘Jobe’ printed on his number seven shirt on Wearside, it is clear he wants to be judged as a footballer in his own right, which is entirely understandable when your older brother is one of the world’s elite by the age of 21.
The Stadium of Light is a place where youngsters have been able to carve out a pathway and enjoy regular game time in the Championship under Regis Le Bris, with former Birmingham mentors Kristjaan Speakman and Mike Dodds providing the link between the Black Cats and the Bellingham family.
The issue Jobe has had to deal with is being compared not to other teenage players – the large majority of whom he has outshone with 79 senior club appearances – but to his own brother, who is in attendance at Sunderland matches whenever he can leave Madrid. The family also spent Christmas together in Sunderland, as shown on Jude’s Instagram page.
When the duo signed for their respective clubs, their mother Denise moved to the Spanish capital with Jude while Mark stayed with Jobe in the North East of England, reuniting whenever possible.
It is a great dynamic to see – especially the fact that while he is never away from the Bellinghams, on the pitch, Jobe will always have the freedom to just be Jobe.
In other Sunderland news, Derek Ferguson names his favourite teammate from his time at the club.
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