Jobe Bellingham: "You have to listen to your heart – that's what I did"
...his start at BVB:
'It's been really good. I met the lads and signed before I flew over, so I feel like I'm settling in really well at the club. It's obviously difficult when you sign for a new club and then you have to fly away immediately. But a lot of people have made it as easy as possible for me. So yes – to be honest, it's been really fun so far. There are a few players who speak English. Pascal, for example, has helped me a lot on the pitch. I enjoy learning from him and asking him questions because he has a wealth of experience at the highest level. Then of course there's Jamie, Carney, Gio – the English lads I spent a lot of time with at the beginning. But now I talk to a lot more players and also spend a lot of time with Felix. There's a really good mix of young and experienced players, and I'm really enjoying that. The guys look after me well.'
...adjusting to the conditions in the USA:
'Yes, it's difficult – especially the humidity and the heat. It's completely different to anything I experienced in Sunderland or Dortmund, of course. It's something new, but it's a unique tournament, so you just have to face up to things like that. I think we've done quite well so far. We're still training very intensively, so it's not looking too bad.'
Advertisement
...his debut for Borussia Dortmund against Fluminense:
'It felt a bit surreal and, to be honest, strange. Why? Well, because it was in the United States – it's just a completely different feeling. But it was definitely a cool moment. A stadium I'd never played in or been to before. It was really cool. And I felt pretty comfortable on the pitch – so yes, I'm happy.'
Inline Image
...his favourite position on the pitch:
'I feel most comfortable in the centre of the pitch, where everything is happening around me. I can move in different directions and I'm not tied to the touchline. Maybe as a box-to-box player in a double-six system – yes, that's pretty much spot on. I like being everywhere between the lines. But I also enjoy playing as a number ten, eight or six. Each of these positions is interesting. The main thing is that I get a lot to do – I like that. Wherever the coach needs me is fine with me.'
...his role models:
'I'm always watching midfielders. Documentaries too. I've seen the Gerrard documentary so many times. Maradona too – his documentary is great, but I can't learn much from him because he was just too good. I also watch Patrick Vieira a lot. I always thought he was more defensive, but he could actually do everything. Gerrard is another one I watch all the time. And lots of other midfielders.'
Inline Image
...his time at Sunderland:
'It was a massive experience. I would recommend it to any young player. It's a big club with passionate fans – one of the biggest in England. I played in different positions there, experienced big games – it was huge for my development. Above all, I had a leadership role there, even at a young age. That will help me now at Dortmund, where you need those qualities. You have to overcome challenges – that's essential at a club like BVB. I think that comes from my upbringing and my circumstances. Also from my parents. I grew up in a safe environment and had a lot of support at school and in football.'
Advertisement
...mistakes:
'I played a lot of tough games at Birmingham, we weren't always the best team. That teaches you resilience. You fail a lot, but you learn from it. I always reflect, look back at things again. And I have people around me who support me. That's one of the main reasons why I came to Dortmund – because I feel that the people here really care about my development. And they have the expertise, you can see that in the many players they have developed.'
Inline Image
...his decision to join Borussia Dortmund:
'It may sound contradictory, but I was biased against Dortmund for a long time – precisely because Jude played here. I wanted to go my own way and had fears. But I spoke to Hans-Joachim Watzke and Janni – they came to England after the playoff final. And Hans-Joachim Watzke's words were decisive: 'It's not about being different. It's about doing the right thing.' And for me, that was Dortmund. It wasn't a decision made out of convenience – it was the right one. It would have been a mistake not to sign just because my brother was here. You have to listen to your heart – and that's what I did.'
...his decision to wear his first name on his shirt:
'When I signed for Sunderland, it was suggested to me by someone, a special coach I had there who I also had in Birmingham. I was still young and thought it was cool to have my own name on the back. It didn't have any deeper meaning – but it's become something unique. It shows that I'm going my own way. Some people don't like it – I don't care. You can't follow your goal and listen to everyone at the same time. I only listen to people who know what they're talking about – not internet critics who just spout nonsense. I just try to get better every day. And my name on my shirt is part of that.'
Advertisement
...switching off from professional football:
'Playing FIFA? Watching YouTube? No, but seriously – I had a life before football. I'm a human being, a boy. I used to fool around with my brother and had a happy life. And that doesn't change as a professional footballer. It's important to live in the moment – even if I'm not always good at it. But I'm getting better.'
Inline Image
All information about the Club World Cup (tickets, all matches live and free of charge on DAZN) can be found at bvb.de/cwc. The BVB app (for download) is also the mobile matchday companion from the USA for all BVB fans.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
38 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins NASCAR national series debut as crew chief at Pocono
LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — Dale Earnhardt Jr. might already be NASCAR's most popular crew chief. He's certainly an undefeated one. Pressed into unexpected service, Earnhardt called the shots for 18-year-old prospect Connor Zilisch in the No. 88 Chevrolet and they landed in victory lane Saturday in the second-tier Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. 'We had a lot of things going our way,' Earnhardt said. Earnhardt — who won NASCAR's most-popular driver award 15 times — made a pit stop from his day job as team owner at JR Motorsports with normal crew chief Mardy Lindley suspended one race because of a lug nut infraction this month at Nashville. Aside from his duties as team owner, Earnhardt also was at Pocono for his role on the Prime broadcast for the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday. 'Lot of fun for me today,' Earnhardt said. 'I missed the thrill of competition. I love broadcast, don't get me wrong. But nothing compares to driving or just being part of the team. Being an owner doesn't really deliver like this. This is a lot of fun.' Earnhardt had his wife and two young daughters in tow with him as he made the celebratory walk to victory lane. Oldest daughter Isla Rose clutched the checkered flag while youngest Nicole Lorraine soaked in the scene from her dad's arms. The win continued a banner season for the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver — who swept two races at Pocono as a driver in 2014 — after JR Motorsports and reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier qualified for the season-opening Daytona 500 and secured their Cup Series debut. Earnhardt won two Daytona 500s, in 2004 and 2014, and 26 races overall. His side hustle Saturday was made a bit easier with Zilisch behind the wheel. Zilisch, who turns 19 in July, raced to his second Xfinity victory of the season and third of his young career. He won his Xfinity debut last year at Watkins Glen International. Earnhardt even pitched in during the race and tossed tires over the wall during pit stops. Zilisch took the win down to the wire and finally passed Jesse Love with five laps left in the race. Love finished second. 'Dale Junior, not too bad on the box,' Zilisch said. 'Pretty cool to have him up there. Getting him a 1-for-1 win as crew chief is pretty awesome.' ___ AP auto racing:
New York Times
41 minutes ago
- New York Times
Santi Cazorla helps Real Oviedo earn promotion to La Liga for first time in 24 years with play-off victory
Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has helped Real Oviedo earn promotion to La Liga for the first time in 24 years after securing a 3-2 aggregate victory over Mirandes in the Segunda promotion play-off final. Cazorla, 40, returned to his boyhood club in the summer of 2023, having been one of several former players who bought shares in the club in 2012 when Oviedo faced financial difficulties. Advertisement The former Spain international came off the bench to score a free-kick with his weaker foot in the semi-final victory over Almeria on June 11. That set up a two-legged play-off final against Mirandes. Having lost the first leg of the play-off final 1-0 on June 15, Cazorla was on the scoresheet in the second leg as Oviedo went on to win 3-1 on Saturday. The memorable victory, a year after Oviedo lost in the play-off final in 2024, will see Oviedo play in the Spanish top flight for the first time in over two decades. Cazorla came through Oviedo's youth academy before leaving in 2003 due to the club's financial troubles. He went on to play for clubs including Villarreal, Malaga, Arsenal, Al-Sadd in Qatar, before returning to Oviedo in 2023. He told The Athletic in 2025 that Oviedo made him a hefty salary offer but he asked for the minimum contract allowed under La Liga rules (€90,000 a year). Ten per cent of all proceeds from jerseys bearing his name also goes to help fund the club's youth system. 'Thankfully, I've had a successful career, so the last thing I wanted was to be a weight on my club,' Cazorla said. 'I'm delighted with these conditions — I'd play for free, but the regulations must be respected. 'Returning here to Oviedo, where I dreamed of playing as a kid, was in my mind for a long time. Now I'm back, trying to help where I can.' Oviedo almost went bust in 2012 before an international fundraising campaign raised the €2million (£1.7m/$2.1m) required to save it. Cazorla was among those to contribute, as were former Oviedo youth team players Juan Mata and Michu. Cazorla also made 81 appearances for Spain, winning the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NHL Free Agency: Top Six Pending UFA Centers
The NHL's free-agency period is almost here, and it's time to look at the key pivots who could be UFAs on July 1. has already looked at the top eight UFA defensemen and the top seven wingers. As for the centers, this is a rather thin class, but there's no doubt which center will be paid the most as a UFA this summer. 1. Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers Bennett was arguably the biggest impact player of the 2025 playoffs, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP. Advertisement Bennett posted an amazing 15 goals and 22 points in 23 playoff games. No other player had more than 11 goals, making Bennett's scoring prowess all the more remarkable. The 29-year-old will get a massive raise on the $4.425 million he earned for the past four years. The Panthers aren't devoid of salary cap space, with $19 million in room. However, they might prioritize re-signing UFA winger Brad Marchand and defenseman Aaron Ekblad, cutting ties with Bennett and sending him to the open market looking for a bigger payday than Florida can afford. There will be a slew of teams – including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and many more – who will happily bring Bennett on board with a salary north of $8 million. It's all up to Bennett to choose where he plays next, but he can rest assured he'll be one of the most targeted assets in free agency. Gary Bettman presents Sam Bennett with the Conn Smythe Trophy. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images) 2. John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs At 34 years old, Tavares is entering the final stage of his tremendous NHL career. But he hasn't let up in terms of offensive production, putting up 38 goals – his best total since 2018-19 – and 74 points in 75 games. There are few players more consistent as a point-per-game producer than Tavares, but he'll be taking a huge pay cut as he does his best to remain with his hometown Maple Leafs. Advertisement Thus, Tavares will be earning far less than the $11 million he earned for the past seven years. Rumored projections have him in the $4-million to $5-million range over a four- or five-year contract term. That should make Leafs fans very happy. Tavares can be part of the solution in Toronto by accepting a massive pay cut and allow the Buds to put together a deeper, stronger roster. 3. Mikael Granlund, Dallas Stars Very quietly, Granlund put together an excellent season, generating 44 assists and 66 points in 83 games split between the Stars and San Jose Sharks. In the playoffs, Granlund amassed another five goals and 10 points in 18 games with Dallas. He was a terrific acquisition, and he guaranteed himself a strong market for his services this summer. Granlund earned $5 million annually for the past six years, but at 33 years old, his next contract will likely be for three or four years. He'll probably want to sign on a bona fide Cup contender, but a developing team might offer him more money to come in and provide leadership and offensive consistency to their lineup. Regardless, once Bennett and Tavares come off the board, Granlund will quickly garner major attention and sign very soon on July 1. 4. Pius Suter, Vancouver Canucks For the first four years of his NHL career, Suter posted either 14 or 15 goals. But in 2024-25, he had a career-high 25 goals and 46 points in 81 games. The 29-year-old's agent had to be ecstatic with the timeliness of Suter's offensive outburst, because he's going to be the focus of teams that lose out on Bennett, Tavares and Granlund. Advertisement Suter was a serious bargain this year in particular, earning just $1.6 million. He'll easily double that amount this summer, as many teams – including the Canucks, which have the cap space to bring him back to Vancouver – will be jockeying for Suter's attention. We'll see who winds up with him, but there's no question he'll be in high demand. NHL Free Agency: Top Seven Pending UFA Wingers NHL Free Agency: Top Seven Pending UFA Wingers The NHL's free-agency period is fast approaching, so it's time to break down the key free agents who will soon be on the open market. 5. Christian Dvorak, Montreal Canadiens Dvorak has had trouble staying healthy, as he appeared in 82 games this past season for the first time in his nine-year NHL career. But as a third-line center option, he's going to be intriguing. Advertisement Dvorak posted 12 goals and 33 points last season – numbers that don't knock your socks off but aren't anything to sneer at, either. He won't match or better his 2024-25 salary of $4.45 million, but on a playoff-bound team, he could be a nifty little acquisition who is hungry and determined to be part of a winning organization. 6. Adam Gaudette, Ottawa Senators In parts of seven NHL seasons, the 28-year-old Gaudette has had to scratch and claw for opportunities in hockey's best league. Before this past season, his career high in games played was 59, back in 2019-20. But in '24-25, the Senators took a chance on him for just $775,000, and in return, Gaudette put up 19 goals and 26 points. So, once the other players on this list have signed a new contract, Gaudette is bound to get multiple offers for his services. The Sens aren't swimming in cap space, so Gaudette could be moving on to a different team next year. But as a third- or fourth-line option, he could fit in very well with a team intent on being a playoff contender. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
