Soccer fans across Europe are tingling with excitement at the prospect of seeing some of the world’s best players take to the field during the 2024 UEFA European Championships.
Europe’s equivalent of the FIFA World Cup sees 24 teams battle it out in a month-long tournament, with the victors calling themselves champions of Europe for the next four years.
The biggest and finest bookies online price England as the favorite to lift the Henri Delaunay Trophy on July 14 despite the team not having won a major trophy since the 1966 World Cup. England’s 26-man squad is brimming with talent, although few players have the technical ability on par with young midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Jude Bellingham’s Early Years
Jude Victor William Bellingham was born in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on June 29, 2003. Soccer is in Bellingham’s blood because his father, Mark, combined playing as a feared striker in non-league football with policing the streets as a sergeant in the West Midlands Police Force.
Bellingham joined Birmingham City Football Club as an under-8 and, at 14, played for the under-18 team. Seen as a generational talent, Bellingham stepped up to the under-23 team aged 15 and made his first-team debut at 16 years, 38 days, making him the youngest-ever playerto turn out for Birmingham City.
After becoming a first-team regular during the 2019/20 season, Europe’s top clubs made substantial offers for Bellingham during the January 2020 transfer window. Birmingham turned down a £20 million big from Manchester United. He finished his debut season with 41 appearances and won theChampionship Apprentice of the Yearand the EFL Young Player of the Seasonawards.
A Big Move To Germany
A club of Birmingham’s size and stature would always struggle to keep hold of a talent such as Bellingham, and they reluctantly sold him after the 2019/20 season. Bellingham joined Borussia Dortmund of the German Bundesliga for an initial £25 million plus several million more in add-on, making him the world’s most expensive 17-year-old.
Bellingham broke several records during his time in Germany. He scored a goal during his second appearance for Dortmund to become the German giant’s youngest goalscorer. He also became the youngest Englishman to start a UEFA Champions League match when he played against Lazio in October 2020.
Bellingham was named the Bundesliga Player of the Season in 2022/23 and won the 2023 Kopa Trophy, an award given to the world’s best under-21 male player.
A Mega Money Move to Spain and a New Role
Rumors circulated about Bellingham’s future despite his contract running until 2025. Soccer rules state that an out-of-contract player can move clubs without a transfer fee, so Dortmund accepted a €103 million (£88.5 million) offer from Real Madrid; the cost could rise to €133.9 million (£115 million) depending on Bellingham’s performances and Real Madrid’s success. Bellingham put pen to paper on a six-year deal worth a reported £1 million per month.
Before his transfer to the Spanish capital, Bellingham played as a box-to-box midfielder, a role most soccer fans would say was a typical number eight position. However, Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti deployed the young Englishman in a more advanced number ten role, and Bellingham took to his new position like a duck to water.
Bellingham played 28 games in La Liga during his debut season, scoring 19 goals and providing six assists. His goal tally was enough to see him finish as Real Madrid’s top-scorer, joining the likes of Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain, and Raul. Further to his goal-scoring exploits, Bellingham was named La Liga Player of the Season, won the La Liga title, the Supercopa de Espana, and the UEFA Champions League. Not bad for a 20-year-old.
Becoming an International Soccer Star
Unsurprisingly, Bellingham is a crucial player for the England men’s national team. he played for and captained the under-15, under-16, under-17, and under-21 teams before earning his first full England cap in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland in November 2020.
Gareth Southgate named Bellingham in his squad for the COVID-19-delayed Euro 2020 tournament. He came on against Croatia as an 82nd-minute substitute. He became the youngest Englishman to play at a major tournament and the youngest-ever player of any nationality to play at a European Championships.
Since making his international debut, Bellingham has represented his country 29 times, scoring three goals.
Jude Bellingham’s Personal Life and Net Worth
Bellingham is a private man despite his tender age. He is the most professional of players and focuses on his performance on the pitch rather than being active on social media
channels.
The superstar has been dating Laura Celia Valk since April 2024. Valk is a 25-year-old Dutch model with a degree in creative business and owns the social media consultancy agency Bobby Rose Agency. The top modeling agency, The Four Models, represents Valk.
Bellingham formerly dated Ghanaian model Asantewa Chitty, but the couple split in July 2023.
The Englishman’s net worth is not public knowledge. However, it is safe to make some assumptions. The Englishman earns a reported £220,000 per week plus bonuses and will do so for the next six years. Some celebrity sites estimate Bellingham to be worth approximately £30 million. Should his contract remain unchanged, Bellingham will earn £70 million from his Real Madrid deal and probably a similar amount in endorsements and sponsorships because he is one of the most marketable soccer stars in the world right now.
Bellingham’s stock could rise to a new level in the next few months if he managed to win the European Championships with England. In September, the nominations for the 2024 Ballon d’Or are announced, the award to the world’s best player, and Bellingham is hotly-tipped to be one of those nominees and could even win the award. Should that happen, his earning potential will soar off the charts.