5 Ways Jobe Bellingham Wants to Replicate and Outshine Brother Jude — Including Borussia Dortmund Move

Five ways Jude Bellingham wants to replicate and outshine his older brother Jude Bellingham's legacy after signing for Borussia Dortmund.

Jobe Bellingham has taken a bold and symbolic step in his young career by  signing with Borussia Dortmund, the same club that transformed his older brother Jude into a global football star. 

However, he is determined to blaze his own trail, and this is how the younger Bellingham is replicating, and aiming to surpass, the legacy of his sibling.

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1. Copying the Big Move to Borussia Dortmund

In summer 2020, Jude Bellingham posed in a now-iconic photo holding a yellow Dortmund shirt after his £25 million move from Birmingham City. Beside him stood 14-year-old Jobe, smiling proudly. Nearly five years later, that same 14-year-old has made the very same move — this time as the headline act.

Jobe's transfer from Sunderland to Dortmund was finalized for a package worth up to £32 million (€38m; $43.3m). He signed a five-year deal, officially announced just before the FIFA Club World Cup, where both brothers could now compete.

“Now I’m here again. Not to watch. And not to follow in anyone’s footsteps… the story is ours to write now.” — Jobe Bellingham, in Dortmund’s unveiling video

2. Carving His Own Identity, Not Just Jude’s Shadow

Since joining Sunderland in 2023, Jobe has made subtle but powerful efforts to stand apart from his brother’s fame. He asked to wear “Jobe” rather than “Bellingham” on the back of his shirt — and the stadium announcers at the Stadium of Light followed suit.

Former Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray believed this was part of Jobe’s effort to forge his own identity and career path:

“It was an attempt for the younger brother to carve out his own path, distancing himself from the name already known around the world.”

Even Dortmund, in their unveiling, made a point not to mention Jude by name. Sporting director Sebastian Kehl acknowledged Jobe’s individuality:

“Jobe wants and will forge his own path at BVB and put his own stamp on our game.”

3. Turning Down Easier Options to Embrace Pressure

Unlike Jude’s relatively clear path into Dortmund’s lineup, Jobe had several competing offers this summer. He toured Eintracht Frankfurt’s facilities just 48 hours after helping Sunderland earn promotion via the Championship play-offs. RB Leipzig also showed interest.

Yet Jobe chose Dortmund, fully aware of the intensified spotlight and inevitable comparisons to his brother. Despite Frankfurt offering less pressure and potentially more minutes, the familiarity of Dortmund — and its role in the Bellingham family legacy — tipped the scales.

Hans-Joachim Watzke, who helped bring Jude to Dortmund, even flew to London after Sunderland’s Wembley win to help secure Jobe’s signature as reported by The Athletic.

4. Proving Himself with Club over Country

To fast-track his adaptation to Dortmund, Jobe made a decisive move — withdrawing from England’s Under-21 European Championship training camp. He prioritized preseason with Dortmund and the opportunity to debut at the FIFA Club World Cup, starting this weekend.

This choice echoes similar decisions by players like Chelsea’s Liam Delap, and it shows Jobe’s focus on seizing a club breakthrough.

If both Dortmund and Real Madrid progress from their groups, the brothers could meet in the Club World Cup quarter-finals on July 5 at MetLife Stadium — their first-ever senior clash.

5. Chasing, and Maybe Surpassing, Jude’s Stardom

While Jude Bellingham has soared to global prominence — winning La Liga with Real Madrid and finishing third in the Ballon d'Or — Jobe’s trajectory is no less ambitious.

Despite managerial changes at Sunderland, Jobe showed steady growth and earned the EFL’s Young Player of the Season award in April. Sunderland expected his exit, knowing bigger challenges awaited.

Dortmund, the same club that shaped Jude’s elite mentality, believe Jobe can make a similar — if not greater — impact.

“We’ve known Jobe for many years and have, of course, followed his development,” — Sebastian Kehl, Dortmund Sporting Director

Even Jude has spoken publicly about his hopes for his brother:

“As long as he’s happy, that’s all I really care about… His happiness means more to me than my own,” he said  on his YouTube channel.

By choosing the path of greatest scrutiny, Jobe Bellingham has shown he's unafraid of the expectations tied to his surname. But through his own decisions, performances, and personality, he’s writing a new chapter — one that could rival, or even outshine, the legend of his brother.