Sky Germany reports that just over a year ago, Jobe Bellingham endured a difficult outing at the Allianz Arena. Coming off the bench, the young Englishman made a disastrous error that all but sealed Borussia Dortmund's away defeat to Bayern Munich. In last Saturday's 115th Klassiker, the midfielder was all smiles, and largely thanks to his own performance!
In Munich, in a match that ended in another 2-2 draw, Bellingham was one of the most influential players on the pitch. Many believe the brother of Real Madrid star and former Borussia Dortmund player Jude Bellingham produced his best game since joining the Black and Yellow from Championship side Birmingham City in the summer of 2025. It was his standout performance in a Borussia Dortmund shirt to date!
Ran over 12 kilometers
The English midfielder played 86 minutes of high-intensity football, covering 12.03 kilometers and making 15 sprints. He had 48 touches and completed 33 passes at an 85% success rate, showing not only tireless running but also clean ball handling.
Even more striking was his all-around contribution. Bellingham was extremely active without the ball, blocking passing lanes, tracking back to cover, and winning crucial duels. At the same time, he constantly posed a threat in attack. In the 34th minute, after a Borussia Dortmund high press, he calmly capitalized on a Bayern mistake and almost crowned his performance with a goal. However, because of an earlier foul by Chukwuemeka, the goal that would have given Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 lead was disallowed.
Bellingham "reacts quicker on the pitch"
Sky reporter Patrick Berger believes it was a significant performance nonetheless. In the latest episode of Sky's Borussia Dortmund podcast "Südtribüne," he said Bellingham "reacts quicker, is more active, and more vocal on the pitch." Bellingham has particularly benefited from his more advanced role in Borussia Dortmund's midfield. Playing alongside Joey Veerman and Nmecha, he can push into higher areas more often and influence the game in the final third.
Berger went even further: "I would say this was indeed Jobe Bellingham's best game for Borussia Dortmund so far."
Jesco von Eichmann came to a similar conclusion. He believes the Englishman has been improving steadily for months. "He's just gotten faster overall. I don't mean he runs faster, but he passes faster and makes decisions faster," said the Borussia Dortmund reporter.
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This has been Bellingham's biggest challenge for a long time. After moving from Birmingham for around 30 million euros, the midfielder first had to adapt to the significantly faster pace of the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund star in peak physical condition
That adaptation process now seems largely complete. Von Eichmann specifically highlighted his often-overlooked defensive work. "He won a lot of duels and covered a lot of ground tracking back. He's one of those unsung heroes," he said.
Inside the club, it is no longer surprising that Bellingham is now performing at such a high physical and mental level. Von Eichmann recalled his impressions from the summer training camp in Japan: "Bellingham looked like he had been lifting weights in a garage in Birmingham." The England U21 international is a player with exceptional physical attributes and a high football IQ. In von Eichmann's view, Bellingham was one of the decisive factors against Bayern, even though Borussia Dortmund ultimately failed to win.
The performance also drew attention in England. The Athletic noted that the right-footed player may be on the verge of a breakthrough and described his display against Bayern as his strongest since arriving in Germany.
Jobe continues to improve under Kovac
Bellingham's performance against Bayern is a microcosm of his development at Borussia Dortmund. When he first arrived, he was often compared to his brother Jude, but such comparisons hardly capture his true characteristics.
While Jude is better known for his explosiveness, dribbling, and flair in attack, Jobe possesses different qualities. He has a more stable understanding of the game, is more aggressive in duels, and is increasingly able to exert influence in the final third.
Under Niko Kovac, his influence in attack is visibly growing. In recent weeks, Bellingham has already provided crucial assists against Stuttgart, Eintracht Frankfurt, and, in the DFB-Pokal, Werder Bremen. The match against Bayern was his most complete performance in a Borussia Dortmund shirt to date.
Kovac said at Tuesday's pre-match press conference for the Champions League home game against Real Betis: "The intensity of the Bundesliga – no one should underestimate that – is, in my opinion, the highest among the top five leagues. We run more, sprint more, and have more high-speed runs. Jobe has improved physically, and not just him, but others as well. We already knew he could play football, but these things go hand in hand. He has adapted and found his feet in Germany. With every good game, he will get better and more confident."
Jobe Bellingham's long-awaited breakthrough may have truly arrived. From Borussia Dortmund's perspective, his next standout performance should come sooner rather than later.