Latest news as Jude Bellingham returns to England with Real Madrid to take on Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final
Jude Bellingham has become one of European football’s best players and this season, he is embarking on another tremendous campaign with Real Madrid.
The 21-year-old is set to play a key part for the European champions when they face Arsenal in the quarter-final. The first-leg takes place in London tonight before the return leg takes place next week.
Bellingham is joined by the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in attack with Los Blancos one of the favourites to defend their title. The midfielder’s rise has been nothing short of spectacular and it all started in Birmingham.
After making his breakthrough into the first-team at just 16 years old, Bellingham made 44 appearances for Blues before completing a move to German giants Borussia Dortmund.
Birmingham City celebrated his rise by retiring the number 22 shirt. Despite it being a controversial move at the time, the England international has lived up to his potential and is now one of the game’s most-valued players.
Here is a look at the life of Jude Bellingham ahead of his return to England;
Jude Bellingham’s net worth and salary
Despite still being only 21, Bellingham’s financial flex is something quite extraordinary. According to reports, the midfielder earns an annual salary of £17.35million.
Potential bonuses worth up to £3.48m per year are also said to be added to his salary. Bellingham’s contract in Madrid expires in June 2029 after he moved to the club in 2023.
His net worth is estimated to be around £40.32m. However, that figure is likely to increase through sponsorship deals, contract renewals and potential transfers.
Jude Bellingham’s girlfriend
Previously, it was rumoured that Bellingham was dating Dutch model Laura Celia Valk. The relationship was never officially confirmed with the Stourbridge-born star preferring to keep his private life private.
Recent reports have stated that model Ashlyn Castro is his new partner having been seen together. Castro has been spotted at a number of Real Madrid games and is believed to have been introduced to his parents.
Controversy and breaking the internet
Every time Bellingham scores, his celebration goes viral with fans across the world sending their love. His success in football has not gone without any controversy.
Earlier this year, he sparked online debate after being caught on camera splashing water on Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski. He then was sent off against Osasuna for something he was deemed to have said to referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero.
Montero claimed that Bellingham had said “f*** you” during their chant but the Englishman denied that.
When he was at Dortmund, it was claimed that he exchanged words with Emre Can after the German side collapsed in the run-in to the Bundesliga title race.
He also made the headlines by commenting on referee Felix Zwayer after Dortmund’s loss to Bayern Munich in 2021. He said: “You can look at a lot of the decisions in the game, you give a referee that has match-fixed before the biggest game in Germany, what do you expect?”
More recently, Bellingham’s antics at Euro 2024 provided him with an iconic moment. His late equaliser against Slovakia saved the Three Lions with an incredible overhead-kick.
After celebrating, he seemed to perform a lewd gesture towards his crotch. Bellingham later insisted that it was an “inside joke” between friends, but UEFA did launch an investigation into the incident, fining him £25k and a suspended one-match ban.