Jobe Bellingham: "You have to listen to your heart – that's what I did" | OneFootball

...his start at BVB:“It’s been really good. I met the lads and signed before I flew over, so I feel like I’m settling in really well at the club. It’s obviously difficult when you sign for a new club and then you have to fly away immediately. But a lot of people have made it as easy as possible for me. So yes – to be honest, it’s been really fun so far. There are a few players who speak English. Pascal, for example, has helped me a lot on the pitch. I enjoy learning from him and asking him questions because he has a wealth of experience at the highest level. Then of course there’s Jamie, Carney, Gio – the English lads I spent a lot of time with at the beginning. But now I talk to a lot more players and also spend a lot of time with Felix. There’s a really good mix of young and experienced players, and I’m really enjoying that. The guys look after me well.”

...adjusting to the conditions in the USA:“Yes, it’s difficult – especially the humidity and the heat. It’s completely different to anything I experienced in Sunderland or Dortmund, of course. It’s something new, but it’s a unique tournament, so you just have to face up to things like that. I think we’ve done quite well so far. We’re still training very intensively, so it’s not looking too bad.”

...his debut for Borussia Dortmund against Fluminense:“It felt a bit surreal and, to be honest, strange. Why? Well, because it was in the United States – it’s just a completely different feeling. But it was definitely a cool moment. A stadium I’d never played in or been to before. It was really cool. And I felt pretty comfortable on the pitch – so yes, I’m happy.”

...his favourite position on the pitch:“I feel most comfortable in the centre of the pitch, where everything is happening around me. I can move in different directions and I’m not tied to the touchline. Maybe as a box-to-box player in a double-six system – yes, that’s pretty much spot on. I like being everywhere between the lines. But I also enjoy playing as a number ten, eight or six. Each of these positions is interesting. The main thing is that I get a lot to do – I like that. Wherever the coach needs me is fine with me.”

...his role models:“I’m always watching midfielders. Documentaries too. I’ve seen the Gerrard documentary so many times. Maradona too – his documentary is great, but I can’t learn much from him because he was just too good. I also watch Patrick Vieira a lot. I always thought he was more defensive, but he could actually do everything. Gerrard is another one I watch all the time. And lots of other midfielders.”

...his time at Sunderland:“It was a massive experience. I would recommend it to any young player. It’s a big club with passionate fans – one of the biggest in England. I played in different positions there, experienced big games – it was huge for my development. Above all, I had a leadership role there, even at a young age. That will help me now at Dortmund, where you need those qualities. You have to overcome challenges – that’s essential at a club like BVB. I think that comes from my upbringing and my circumstances. Also from my parents. I grew up in a safe environment and had a lot of support at school and in football.”

...mistakes:“I played a lot of tough games at Birmingham, we weren’t always the best team. That teaches you resilience. You fail a lot, but you learn from it. I always reflect, look back at things again. And I have people around me who support me. That’s one of the main reasons why I came to Dortmund – because I feel that the people here really care about my development. And they have the expertise, you can see that in the many players they have developed.”

...his decision to join Borussia Dortmund:“It may sound contradictory, but I was biased against Dortmund for a long time – precisely because Jude played here. I wanted to go my own way and had fears. But I spoke to Hans-Joachim Watzke and Janni – they came to England after the playoff final. And Hans-Joachim Watzke’s words were decisive: ‘It’s not about being different. It’s about doing the right thing.’ And for me, that was Dortmund. It wasn’t a decision made out of convenience – it was the right one. It would have been a mistake not to sign just because my brother was here. You have to listen to your heart – and that’s what I did.”

...his decision to wear his first name on his shirt:“When I signed for Sunderland, it was suggested to me by someone, a special coach I had there who I also had in Birmingham. I was still young and thought it was cool to have my own name on the back. It didn’t have any deeper meaning – but it’s become something unique. It shows that I’m going my own way. Some people don’t like it – I don’t care. You can’t follow your goal and listen to everyone at the same time. I only listen to people who know what they’re talking about – not internet critics who just spout nonsense. I just try to get better every day. And my name on my shirt is part of that.”

...switching off from professional football:“Playing FIFA? Watching YouTube? No, but seriously – I had a life before football. I’m a human being, a boy. I used to fool around with my brother and had a happy life. And that doesn’t change as a professional footballer. It’s important to live in the moment – even if I’m not always good at it. But I’m getting better.”

All information about the Club World Cup (tickets, all matches live and free of charge on DAZN) can be found at bvb.de/cwc. The BVB app (for download) is also the mobile matchday companion from the USA for all BVB fans.