Jobe Bellingham Earns First England Call-up to Join Brother Jude

Jobe Bellingham earns first England senior call-up ahead of Croatia clash

Jobe Bellingham has received his first senior England call-up from manager Thomas Tuchel, opening the possibility of playing alongside his older brother Jude Bellingham during upcoming November fixtures.

England faces Croatia on November 12 at Wembley Stadium before traveling to Madrid to play Spain on November 15. The 21-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder joins the senior squad following standout performances in Germany and his time as captain of the England under-21 team.

Rise through Birmingham City and Borussia Dortmund

Both brothers developed in Birmingham City’s youth academy before moving to the German Bundesliga. Jude Bellingham made his Birmingham debut at 16 years and 38 days old, while Jobe debuted 69 days later at 16 years and 107 days old.

After leaving Birmingham, Jobe joined Sunderland and helped the club earn promotion to the Premier League before transferring to Borussia Dortmund in a deal valued up to £31 million. To distance himself from comparisons to his brother, Jobe wears his first name on the back of his shirt rather than the family name.

Thomas Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live that Jobe earned his place through personal performance rather than family connection.

It’s a beautiful story, Tuchel said, noting that the brothers share a close relationship. Let’s not forget Jobe is here because of his own merit. He is not here because his brother is here.

Squad absences create opportunities in midfield

Squad adjustments influenced the selection. Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skerry is suspended for the Croatia match, and Bournemouth’s Alex Scott is sidelined with an injury after making his debut in a 7-0 victory over Croatia last month.

Tuchel selected Jobe as one of five central midfielders in the squad. Constantine Eckner, a German football reporter for the BBC, noted that Jobe built strength and explosiveness through weight training after an initially cautious period following his arrival at Dortmund, and that his decision-making speed improved from the latter half of last season.

Comparing the early career milestones of the Bellingham brothers

When did Jobe Bellingham make his debut for Birmingham City?

Jobe made his senior debut for Birmingham City at 16 years and 107 days old, exactly 69 days after his older brother Jude reached the same milestone at 16 years and 38 days old.

Which clubs have the Bellingham brothers played for?

Both brothers started at Birmingham City before moving to Germany. Jude transferred to Borussia Dortmund and later to Real Madrid, while Jobe played for Sunderland before joining Borussia Dortmund.

When was the last time brothers played together for the England national team?

Gary Neville and Phil Neville were the most recent brothers to play together for England’s senior team, first appearing together in 1996 and playing together until 2007.