Bellinghams Big Plans: Cashing in on Fame

For , it was a pinch-me moment. Embracing Sir at his Miami training complex before England’s devastating semi-final clash, the midfielder made no secret of his adoration for the hero he was too young to watch captain England in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.

The Tuesday meet-up, I’m told, was warm, and the pair are ‘very familiar with one another’ having met on several occasions. After all, they are in a select band of elite British sportsmen whose images and names make them instantly recognisable.

Doubtless the chat would have revolved around the impending match, and perhaps Jude’s stellar contributions to preceding fixtures. But their unrivalled prowess on the field is not the only thing the two icons have in common.

Handsome and confident working-class boys with strong morals, both are role models to young boys and heartthrobs to female fans.

But despite Wednesday’s agonising semi-final loss to Argentina, Jude – who has scored six goals over the tournament so far – looks set to follow his hero’s business model and become a global brand.

Jude, the 23-year-old Birmingham-born Real Madrid star, will wait four years for another chance to lift the World Cup trophy. But regardless this tournament has acted as a launch pad for Brand Bellingham, enabling him to capitalise on the global Jude-mania and undergo the transformation from sportsman to businessman and global icon.

‘It’s all been very hush hush,’ says my well-placed source. ‘But Jude knows his worth and what he can earn. The levels of hysteria over him can only be matched by David Beckham when he was in his early 20s. Jude is very, very marketable and those around him know he can be a billionaire, and even a “Sir”, and that plan has just begun.’

Brand Bellingham is, I’m told, using the extraordinary success of Brand Beckham as its blueprint.

Before the World Cup, pundits were disputing whether Jude would even have a place in the starting 11. But he had already signalled the next phase of his plan.

Bello&Bello Ltd – the family firm – was controlled only by Jude, his mother Denise, father Mark and fellow footballer brother Jobe.

But in June, Jude added two new directors to his commercial enterprise in a clear recognition of his growing opportunities.

Anyone familiar with how protective former policeman Mark and HR worker Denise have been over their son’s career and external deals will know how significant these additions are.

The first was Oliver Hunt, a founding partner of London-based specialist law firm Onside Law, who has long represented Jude when negotiating football contracts. Just days later they added Simon Morris, an asset management expert linked to multiple financial advisory firms.

And that’s not all. A short while earlier Jude had hired Lewis Maddison, the former Football Association (FA) players lead. Lewis was brought in to the personal corporate structure to oversee the many commercial opportunities now presented to the top-flight player.

Mark and Denise have secured their son millions in sponsorship and advertising deals on top of his £20million Real Madrid salary, but feel there is scope for much more.

‘Jude has a very carefully orchestrated plan in place,’ says my source. ‘His parents have been so controlling of his career, but the decision was made that if he wants to grow bigger and become the next Beckham, he needs to put the infrastructure in place.

‘So he has built a crack team around him which will enable him to go out there and make some serious money. It’s a case of Billionaire Bellingham.’

Indeed the business is now at the point of financial explosion – with industry sources suggesting he could expect to see his revenues increase tenfold.

Last tax year his commercial deals alone were worth £4million. And Jude’s commercial portfolio has sky-rocketed again this year – with estimates of around £11.5million from his many major endorsements and branding deals.

The largest of his deals is with sportswear giant Adidas – which produces his own clothing range and has used him as one of its faces alongside fellow superstars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.

Industry experts have said the deal could draw a return of £5million per year – and potentially even more now his global fame has expanded beyond Europe as a result of the tournament.

In the luxury sector, in a very Beckham-esque move, Jude serves as a paid ambassador for French fashion house Louis Vuitton, which insiders value at around £2million annually.

And ahead of the 2024 Euros he became the face of Skims, the clothing and shapewear brand co-founded by Kim Kardashian, in a global campaign said to be worth around £1million – a clever move which ensured he entered the lucrative US market.

Jude has also been paid around £1.5million as the face of EA Sports’s hugely successful video game franchise, appearing on the cover of last year’s FC25.

And a deal with sports drink Lucozade has seen him launch his own signature edition of the product and appear in their high-budget television campaigns, while a Europe-wide McDonald’s advert has also utilised his image for in-store campaigns this summer.

Yet all of this has been described to me as ‘small fry’ compared with what is to come. After all, the charismatic midfielder has many attributes his predecessor utilised over the years to great effect.

And Jude has his very own Posh – which female fans are very cross about. He has been dating American influencer Ashlyn Castro for two years after matching on celebrity dating app Raya. While Ashlyn, 28, might not be in a pop band, she has a high profile working with brands such as Clarins.

Jude, like Becks, is patriotic to the core, belting out the national anthem with huge passion before every match. He also impressed many with his caring side when he stopped to talk to a disabled Venezuelan journalist following England’s win over Mexico.