By Martin Graham
Jobe Bellingham’s early months at Borussia Dortmund have not gone as smoothly as he might have hoped.
After a positive showing at the Club World Cup over the summer — where he recorded both a goal and an assist across four matches — and some encouraging preseason performances, manager Niko Kovac rewarded the 20-year-old with a starting spot for the Bundesliga opener against St Pauli in August.
But his debut did not last long. Bellingham was withdrawn at half-time, a decision that would later spark tension off the pitch.
His father, Mark Bellingham, was reported to have entered the players’ tunnel after the match to confront sporting director Sebastian Kehl, displeased with both his son’s early substitution and the team’s lackluster display. Dortmund had let slip a 3-1 advantage, eventually drawing 3-3 after a late red card to young defender Filippo Mane.
The club’s management was unhappy with the scene, although Kehl later downplayed the matter, and managing director Lars Ricken explained that the Bellingham family had been waiting near the dressing rooms to greet Jobe after his first Bundesliga appearance. He said the conversation was emotional but friendly, and that the issue was quickly resolved.
Searching for the right position
Since the St. Pauli encounter, Bellingham’s minutes in the league have been limited, though his reduced involvement was unrelated to his father’s post-match confrontation.
He was named in the starting eleven again in the following league game against Union Berlin before being substituted in the second half for Felix Nmecha. His first appearance had come as an advanced midfielder behind two forwards, but Kovac has since shifted to a system built around two central midfielders and a trio in attack.
This tactical change has left uncertainty about Bellingham’s best place on the pitch. At Sunderland last season, he thrived alongside a deeper-lying midfielder. Dortmund, however, already has Nmecha for defensive duties and relies on Pascal Gross or Marcel Sabitzer to bring stability in the middle.
Of his 14 outings in all competitions so far, nine have been off the bench — though he has still featured in every match and even made Champions League starts against Athletic Club and Copenhagen, contributing two assists in the latter. These performances underline Dortmund’s intent to nurture him carefully.
However, adjusting to cameo appearances has been difficult. His toughest moment came in the Bundesliga ‘Klassiker’ against Bayern Munich when, after entering the field with his team one goal down, he was involved in an unfortunate sequence that led to Bayern’s second. Attempting to block Luis Diaz’s finish, he accidentally stepped on the ball, allowing Michael Olise to score. It summed up his early frustrations — willing, present, but not yet making the impact he wants.
Learning curve and future promise
Bellingham arrived in Germany from Sunderland amid significant expectations. Dortmund spent roughly the same amount on him as they had on his older brother Jude five years earlier, drawing natural comparisons.
But while Jude burst onto the scene at 17 and quickly became one of Europe’s top midfielders, Jobe’s development path has been more gradual. Dortmund nevertheless hoped to replicate that success story and was quick to highlight the parallels between the two brothers’ journeys.
Reality, however, has been more tempered. Early hype, fuelled by his summer form, set the bar high. Yet in recent weeks, signs of improvement have started to appear. Bellingham played the full 120 minutes in the German Cup win over Eintracht Frankfurt and impressed with his energy in the league match against Augsburg, where Dortmund held a narrow lead.
Manager Niko Kovac praised the youngster’s progress, noting how rapidly 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 place appear to be growing. The rise may not mirror Jude’s remarkable ascent, but Dortmund believes patience and time could still produce another success story in the Bellingham family.
