Jobe Bellingham has earned his first senior call-up for the England national team ahead of the November international break.
The Three Lions are on the brink of qualifying for the Nations League quarter-finals ahead of their games against Croatia and Spain. England only need to avoid losing to Croatia by more than seven goals to secure their spot. But two wins would see the Three Lions top Group A3 — providing they beat Spain by more than one goal.
Thomas Tuchel has named his squad for the final international break of the year, with some big calls. Cole Palmer and Phil Foden have both missed out, while Josh King and Jobe Bellingham have been called up for the first time.
A lot of eyes will be on Jobe, not least because of the standing Jude Bellingham has in this England team. But Jobe has been called up on his own performances, and this is a chance for him to be more than just “Jude’s brother”.
Jobe Bellingham’s deserved call-up
Where does Jobe Bellingham play?
It can be very easy to compare Jobe to Jude. They both started at Birmingham City and made their first move abroad to Borussia Dortmund — though Jobe went via two years at Sunderland. Jobe also plays in central midfield with the ability to move further forward into the No.10.
But Jobe finds himself more comfortable in the deeper position as part of a double pivot. It’s a role he fulfilled well at Sunderland and continues to do for Dortmund. It’s a no-frills job that can be hard to receive plaudits for. But he is being noticed.
It certainly helps that he is so easy to rely on. That’s why he’s a regular feature for Dortmund. Since joining the German club in 2025, Bellingham has missed just four games across all competitions. Three of those have been for suspension — one match for yellow card accumulation in the Club World Cup, and two for a red card last season. He was also rested for a DFB-Pokal win over lower-tier side HEBC Hamburg in September. Bellingham has started 42 of his 63 appearances for Dortmund, and only seven players have played more minutes than his 3,844 since he joined.
Jobe Bellingham’s strengths
Bellingham is a good all-round player, which is why he’s been called up for England.
“He is the captain of the Under-21s so I think the door should always be open and the pathway should always be open for special performances over a long period of time,” Tuchel said after announcing his squad.
“And that is what Jobe has done. He found his way and his rhythm with Dortmund, where he has had an excellent start to the season. He is a regular starter there and now very influential.”
Ball-winner
Bellingham’s main strengths lie in his ball-winning. Borussia Dortmund are a possession-focused team, averaging 54.11% of the ball across their Bundesliga matches this season. So Bellingham’s numbers may not look too good when compared to the rest of the league, but he’s important to Dortmund.
The Englishman averages 1.77 interceptions per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga this season, the second-most of any Dortmund player with at least 360 minutes. He also ranks fourth for his 2.26 tackles per 90, while only committing 1.45 fouls.
Bellingham is best in the middle third, winning possession 3.39 times there per 90 — the second-most of any Dortmund player. He rarely pushes forward to win the ball, with 0.48 possessions won in the attacking third per 90, and averages 1.61 in the defensive third. Bellingham’s very much about helping Dortmund keep their structure while maintaining their shape.
Abilities on the ball
But Bellingham is also capable with the ball at his feet, although he doesn’t hold much of the possession at Dortmund. Bellingham averages 60.48 touches per 90 in the Bundesliga this season, which is the ninth-most of any Dortmund player. He’s not one to control the games, but he is a growing influence.
It’s seen more in the Champions League, where Bellingham has averaged 1.68 chances created per 90, 0.84 of which have been big chances. He’s also on the ball more, averaging 75.28 touches per 90, which allows the Englishman to be more influential. Bellingham leads Dortmund for through-balls attempted (1.26) and completed (0.84) per 90 among players with at least 90 minutes in the Champions League. He also boasts a retention rate of 83.8% with 86.18% passing accuracy, showing a reliability on the ball.
Where could Jobe Bellingham fit for England?
The main question will be how Bellingham fits into Tuchel’s England team. When the German named his World Cup squad, flexibility was given a slight edge for certain players — those who could bring a high enough level to multiple positions. And that’s what Bellingham brings. He wasn’t a direct replacement for the likes of Foden or Palmer.
Bellingham is unlikely to make any waves on the double pivot right now. Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson are the sure-starters should Tuchel play a 4-2-3-1. But Bellingham does open up the option for a 4-3-3. Fans are already dreaming of a midfield including both Jobe and Jude, with either Rice or Anderson anchoring. That’s where the flexibility comes in. While Jobe can be the box-crasher No.8, he can also sit deeper alongside the No.6 while allowing his partner to push forward.