The midfielder is one of the game's most coveted young talents but his ascent to stardom is distinct from that of his England peers in that he has never played in the Premier League.
After joining the academy at Birmingham City at seven years old, the gifted youngster consistently played in teams above his age level until he made his first-team debut in the Championship, the second tier of the English game, aged just 16. In his one season with Birmingham's professional squad he was instrumental in ensuring the club's survival in the division - so much so that the club retired the number 22 jersey he wore, normally an honour reserved for club legends with years of service.
Bellingham was sold to Borussia Dortmund (BVB) in the German Bundesliga in 2020, shortly after his 17th birthday. It was while playing in Germany that he broke into the England men's national team. He starred in the recent World Cup in Qatar, scoring his first international goal in the group-stage win over Iran.
After making 132 appearances for Dortmund, Bellingham attracted the attention of some of the biggest clubs in football, including Paris St Germain and Liverpool.
This story is from the June 15, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the June 15, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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