In the months leading up to the World Cup, the familiar wave of criticism aimed at Jude Bellingham intensified. A variety of commentators, including writers and former professionals, expressed concerns about whether this talented young footballer might disrupt team cohesion. The most striking articulation of such sentiments appeared in a November 2025 Daily Mail article, which bore the infamous headline: “Someone like Jude, for some reason, frightens these people,”
In response to the backlash against Bellingham, Ian Wright felt it necessary to offer his support during an episode of Stick to Football. His remarks quickly circulated through football’s social media channels, resonating widely due to both his candidness and his framing of the scrutiny directed at Bellingham as part of a broader historical pattern regarding Black men’s behavior. “It’s something you’re taught as a Black man … to keep your head down and be, for want of a better word, a humble fucking slave.” Wright stated, adding, “a matter of national honour”
Several perceived missteps have placed Bellingham on a collision course with the established norms of English football. One early “mistake” was Birmingham City retiring his shirt number prior to his 18th birthday. Another was his choice to join Borussia Dortmund over England’s elite clubs. His subsequent transfer to Real Madrid for an initial fee of €103 million (£88 million), where he was given the iconic No 5 shirt previously worn by Zinedine Zidane, further fueled the narrative. While many English footballers struggle with insecurity abroad, Bellingham has exuded a confidence that has not always been embraced as a point of national pride; instead, it has been interpreted as a challenge to the Premier League’s supremacy.
Wright’s explanation of the hostility Bellingham faces carries more weight than mere footballing reasons. There is a cultural specificity to Bellingham’s demeanor that resonates with many Black Britons but is often perceived as a provocation elsewhere. As a child, my aunt would encourage me to walk with my shoulders back and my head held high to project an identity that society might otherwise deny. As an adult, I discovered that this advice was a mantra she had internalized upon her arrival from the Caribbean, facing a society that made her feel unwelcome.
While we cannot ascertain whether Bellingham received similar guidance, it is entirely possible that his unshakeable self-belief stems from a cultural inheritance prevalent in many Black families.
English football has a long history of seeking meaning from its emotional landscape, often fixating on its solitary successes alongside moments of near triumph. It often returns to figures that embody its identity: Bryan Robson, David Beckham, and Paul Gascoigne. Of these, Gascoigne remains particularly iconic. Jack Grealish was briefly viewed as his successor, and before Euro 2020, Phil Foden emulated Gascoigne by dyeing his hair the same peroxide hue, consciously linking himself to that legacy.
Bellingham challenges the boundaries of this recognition process.
While England has celebrated exceptional Black players in the past, it has struggled to accept a Black individual as its defining figure, as noted by Paul Gilroy in “Race, Sport and British Society.” Gilroy pointed out that John Barnes’s exclusion from British sporting greatness became “a matter of national honour” for certain England fans and pundits. Likewise, Andrew Cole was overshadowed by Alan Shearer, and Raheem Sterling faced relentless criticism. Until now, the national team has not acknowledged a Black player as its central figure. However, Bellingham’s outstanding performances in recent tournaments have made him both tactically essential and the emotional focal point for the national squad.
The spontaneous rendition of “Hey Jude” that accompanies England’s victories serves as clear evidence of this shift: here is a Black footballer whose name, appearance, and heritage do not hinder an instinctive sense of English belonging.
Each generation of Black individuals born and raised in England is shaped by the nation while simultaneously reshaping it. While it would be naive to suggest that one footballer can resolve the complexities that often position Blackness against Englishness, Bellingham clearly sees no conflict between the two identities. Perhaps his most significant contribution lies in demonstrating to future generations that they need not perceive a divide either.
- Calum Jacobs is the author of A New Formation: How Black Footballers Shaped the Modern Game and the founder of CARICOM magazine.
- Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
