Jobe Bellingham’s first few months at Borussia Dortmund have been far from straightforward. The 20-year-old midfielder arrived amid high expectations, but his transition from English football to the Bundesliga has been marked by inconsistency, limited minutes, and scrutiny both on and off the pitch.
After impressing at the Club World Cup over the summer — where he registered a goal and an assist in four games — and showing promise in pre-season, manager Niko Kovač rewarded Bellingham with a starting spot in Dortmund’s Bundesliga opener against St Pauli in August. However, his debut quickly turned sour. Substituted at half-time in a chaotic 3–3 draw, Bellingham watched from the sidelines as Dortmund surrendered a 3–1 lead following Filippo Mane’s late red card.
What happened afterward only intensified the spotlight. Reports emerged that Mark Bellingham, father to Jobe and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, confronted sporting director Sebastian Kehl in the tunnel post-match, unhappy with both his son’s substitution and what he viewed as uninspired football. Though Kehl downplayed the incident, Dortmund’s leadership made it clear that only club personnel are permitted in restricted areas. Managing director Lars Ricken sought to ease tensions, emphasising that the club maintains “a trusting relationship” with the Bellingham family and that the situation had been “cleared up.”
While the controversy faded quickly, Bellingham’s playing time diminished. His reduced minutes were not a disciplinary issue, but rather a reflection of Dortmund’s tactical evolution. After the St Pauli match, Kovač shifted systems, moving away from a formation that featured Bellingham as a central attacking midfielder behind two strikers.
Since then, Dortmund have favoured a 3-4-3 setup, with a two-man midfield anchored by Felix Nmecha, Pascal Groß, or Marcel Sabitzer — players who offer more experience or physicality. Bellingham’s only other Bundesliga start came in the second game of the season against Union Berlin, where he lasted 71 minutes before being replaced by Nmecha.
Of Bellingham’s 14 appearances across all competitions, nine have been as a substitute. Yet, Dortmund have been deliberate in managing his progression. He started twice in the Champions League, contributing two assists in wins over Athletic Club and FC Copenhagen, showing flashes of the creative intelligence that made him a standout at Sunderland last season.
However, breaking into Dortmund’s first team has proven difficult. Limited to late cameos, Bellingham has struggled to find rhythm — a challenge compounded by moments like his ill-fated appearance in the Bundesliga Klassiker against Bayern Munich. Coming on with Dortmund trailing 1–0, he was caught in an unfortunate sequence that led to Bayern’s second goal, inadvertently deflecting a loose ball to Michael Olise after trying to block Luis Díaz’s shot. The mistake was minor but symbolic of a young player trying to settle into elite-level football.
Despite the rocky start, Dortmund remain invested in Bellingham’s long-term development. The club’s decision to sign him for a fee comparable to what they paid for his brother Jude in 2020 speaks to their faith in his potential. But while Jude quickly established himself as a generational midfielder at 17, Jobe’s trajectory has been more gradual.
Dortmund’s hierarchy publicly acknowledges the need for patience. Bellingham’s playing time has gradually increased in recent weeks, and his performances have improved. He played the full 120 minutes in the DFB-Pokal victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, helping Dortmund advance via penalties, and made a strong defensive contribution in the 1–0 league win over Augsburg, where his work rate off the bench impressed both fans and coaching staff.
Kovač praised the youngster’s progress after that match:
“Things are moving faster than I expected. The lad has a lot of quality,” the Dortmund coach said.
With veterans like Sabitzer struggling for consistency and Groß nearing the twilight of his career at 34, Bellingham’s opportunity to secure a regular starting role could arrive sooner than anticipated.
The comparisons with his brother are inevitable, but Dortmund know that Jobe Bellingham’s journey will differ. Jude’s rapid rise was extraordinary; Jobe’s story may be slower but equally valuable if managed correctly.
His early months in Germany have tested his adaptability and resilience — traits Dortmund value as much as technical skill. While the club may not be expecting another Jude-like fairytale, they remain confident that, with time and the right guidance, Jobe Bellingham can still write a successful chapter of his own at Signal Iduna Park.
