Goal-scoring prowess in the Kreisliga: father of BVB star impresses | OneFootball

After moving to Herdecke, Mark Bellingham suddenly takes action in the local league himself. The father of BVB star Jobe and Jude immediately makes waves with his goals.

Mark Bellingham, father of BVB professional Jobe and Real Madrid star Jude, is currently making headlines away from the big football stages – in German amateur football. Since the summer, the 49-year-old has been living in Herdecke, where he accompanied his son Jobe following his move to Borussia Dortmund. However, few expected that he would soon be actively playing again.

The former English striker appeared rather coincidentally at the training grounds of FC Herdecke-Ende in September, according to a report by the Westfalenpost. He introduced himself with a simple sentence: "I'm Mark. I'm looking for a place to play football with older men." What began as a casual training inquiry quickly turned into a firm commitment. After just two sessions, Bellingham signed his membership application – without many in the club realizing who they had in front of them.

It wasn't until club chief Marcel Schünke saw the newcomer's last name that he became suspicious. "Suddenly everyone is speaking English in the locker room," Schünke recalls with a smile. It soon became clear: the inconspicuous new arrival is the father of two international top players.

Football Genes of the Bellinghams: Talent Clearly Inherited

Since then, the 49-year-old has left a clear mark on the field. For the Ü32 team, he scored twice directly in the veterans' cup, and he also showcased his skills in the club's second men's team in the Kreisliga B. Schünke enthuses: "Mark is simply a killer in front of the goal."

That Bellingham knows where the goal is hardly surprising upon closer inspection. In England, the former amateur striker scored over 700 goals and played for more than 20 different clubs. Although he had actually ended his career at the end of the 2010s, focusing on the development of his sons, his passion for playing has returned in Herdecke.

At the club, Bellingham presents himself as approachable and unpretentious. Instead of showing star airs, he displays humility: he trains regularly, helps out at the bratwurst stand, and occasionally throws a crate of beer around. While he initially caused a stir at BVB with a heated discussion with sporting director Sebastian Kehl, none of that is felt at FC Herdecke-Ende. There, one thing matters above all: his scoring ability.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.