Jobe Bellingham speaks on hesitance of joining Borussia Dortmund | OneFootball

New Borussia Dortmund signing Jobe Bellingham ultimately didn’t end up earning a predicted start for his new Bundesliga club in Tuesday’s Club World Cup opener. The 19-year-old nevertheless logged some significant minutes off the bench and had a solid BVB debut.

Not long after BVB head coach Niko Kovac sent him on in the 59th minute, Bellingham engaged in a courageous tackle near the touchline. Bellingham’s touch and overall field vision appeared strong. A 93 percent passing rate included some cautious rearward balls, but also some incisive forward slants.

Speaking at the press conference ahead of the second group stage match of the competition, Kovac answered a direct question as to why Bellingham didn’t start. A reporter probed Kovac for the coach’s thoughts on the teenager’s fitness.

“His fitness is okay, but he still needs some time,” Kovac said. “I wouldn’t have any nervous qualms about bringing him on. Quite the opposite. It’s just that we have several good midfielders. I’ll leave it open for a start tomorrow [against South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns]. That’s information that belongs to me.“

For his part, Bellingham himself felt as if his chance wouldn’t be long in coming. The younger brother of mega-talent Jude Bellingham – who actually wears “Jobe” on the back of his Dortmund tricot – spoke on his debut and revealed an interesting detail about his recent switch to the Bundesliga.

Jobe clearly didn’t wish to by a Jude copycat, following in the direct footsteps of his elder sibling like some sort of afterthought. Ultimately, BVB boss Hans-Joachim “Acki” Watzke found the right words.

“To be honest, it was kind of surreal, a bit strange because it was in the U.S.” Bellingham told German broadcaster DAZN. “The stadium was unique, I’d never been there before. And I felt comfortable on the pitch.

“As contradictory as it might sound, I resisted Dortmund for a long time,” Bellingham continued when asked about his decision to move to Dortmund. “It was a matter of fearing not being my own man.

“It would have been just as wrong to go to another club just because Jude went there,” Bellingham said. “but [Watzke] said it was not about being different, but finding the right path.

“And if the right path is Dortmund – as it is for many young players – then why not?” Bellingham concluded. “Dortmund fought long and hard to convince me.“

GGFN | Peter Weis