Jobe Bellingham made his debut for Borussia Dortmund during the Club World Cup on Tuesday night. Rather than using his last name, he chose to wear his first name, “Jobe,” on his shirt. The 19-year-old follows his older brother Jude, who played for Dortmund from 2020 to 2023 before moving to Real Madrid for £113m.

Having both emerged from Birmingham City’s youth system, Jobe has faced early comparisons to Jude. However, he has emphasized his desire to carve out his own career. After initially wearing his family name, Bellingham switched to his first name when he transferred to Sunderland in 2023, a change approved by the EFL to help him establish his individual identity.

Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray explained that Jobe’s decision was aimed at not living in his brother’s shadow, wanting to prove himself independently. Dortmund appeared to acknowledge this choice when announcing his signing earlier this month, sharing a video with the phrase, “The name is Jobe.”

Bellingham made his debut as a substitute in Dortmund’s goalless group stage match against Fluminense. Following his move after two successful seasons at Sunderland, where he helped the team reach the Premier League and earned the Championship Young Player of the Season award, he continues to focus on building his own legacy in football.