The former Sunderland midfielder made his Champions League debut earlier this week following his summer move

Former Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham has described his pride after making his first Champions League start for Borussia Dortmund – with football figures and ex-teammates flooding his Instagram with praise.

The 20-year-old, who left Wearside in a club-record £27.8million deal this summer, started in midfield as Dortmund beat Athletic Club 4-1 at the Westfalenstadion. Goals from Daniel Svensson, Carney Chukwuemeka, Serhou Guirassy and Julian Brandt sealed the win, with Gorka Guruzeta replying for the visitors. Posting on Instagram after the game, Bellingham wrote: “First Champions League start and happy with the victory. What a place to play! Heja BVB!!”

The message drew huge interaction from across the football world – including from his older brother Jude Bellingham, now a global star with Real Madrid. Jude replied with a flexed bicep emoji, showing his pride at seeing his younger sibling follow in his European footsteps.

Former Arsenal and England legend Ian Wright also joined in, commenting with four red heart emojis in support. Ex-Sunderland teammate Romaine Mundle added a flame emoji, while Wales international Chris Mepham responded with raised hands emojis. Sunderland wonderkid Chris Rigg, added his own tribute with fire emojis, showing solidarity with his close friend.

The significance of Bellingham’s European bow will not be lost on Sunderland supporters. A year ago he was playing Championship football at the Stadium of Light, helping the Black Cats win promotion back to the Premier League for the first time in eight years. His performances in red and white saw him claim the EFL Young Player of the Season award, before his record-breaking move to Germany.

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Jobe Bellingham’s journey from the EFL to the Champions League

Born in Stourbridge in 2005, Jobe was the second of the Bellingham brothers to rise through Birmingham City’s youth system. Like Jude, he showed maturity beyond his years, making his FA Cup debut for Blues at just 16. After joining Sunderland in June 2023, Jobe quickly established himself in Tony Mowbray’s first team, scoring twice on his home debut against Rotherham United and later netting against his boyhood club Birmingham City.

At Sunderland, he often carried the weight of expectation but responded with resilience and consistency. He signed a new long-term deal in 2024 before his record move to Dortmund was sanctioned in the summer of 2025, a fee that helped Sunderland strengthen for their Premier League return. Now in the Bundesliga, Bellingham has wasted no time making an impact. He scored his first Dortmund goal at the FIFA Club World Cup in June.

However, since his move to Germany, the England youth international has experienced a challenging start, failing to record a goal or an assist in his first five Bundesliga appearances. His Bundesliga debut in August proved difficult, with the midfielder substituted at half-time during Dortmund’s 3-3 draw away to St. Pauli. Reports from Sky Germany later suggested that Jobe’s parents, Mark and Denise, were left unhappy with head coach Nico Kovac’s decision to withdraw him so early.

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