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Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham won the Championship Young Player of the Season award this week, with brother Jude Bellingham showing some brotherly love.
After a stellar campaign in red-and-white, Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham won Championship Young Player of the Season on Sunday evening.
Bellingham was amongst impressive company in the nominations, but beat out Sheffield Wednesday loan star Shea Charles and Burnley defender CJ Egan-Riley to the prestigious EFL award.
Former Birmingham City youngster Bellingham has been a pivotal part of Sunderland’s season, helping Regis Le Bris’ side earn a Championship play-offs place with games to spare.
The 19-year-old took to social media to share a humble reaction to his double second tier award victory, with a certain Real Madrid Galactico showering him with praise.
Jobe Bellingham and Jude Bellingham react to Sunderland star’s EFL award
Bellingham has been of the Championship’s best this season, notching seven goal contributions in 39 league appearances, dominating central battles as the box-to-box midfielder in Le Bris’ system.
The youngster’s performance in the 3-2 comeback win against Swansea City epitomised his stellar season, impacting all three-thirds of the pitch and impacting the decisive moments for the Black Cats, before giving way to raw emotion in his celebrations after netting the game-winner.
Rival fans were rattled by his presence in the Championship team of the season, but those on Wearside who watch him weekly made clear their thoughts on his “no-brainer” inclusion.
Following his team of the season nomination and young player accolade, “grateful” Bellingham said on social media: “Team of the Season & Young Player of the Season. Extremely grateful for the support of everyone around me. Not done yet..”
Many Sunderland figures, and some from the wider footballing world, commented on his post but one in particular individual’s response held more weight.
Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, Jobe’s elder brother, commented in reply: “Deserved brother”.
The Sunderland star will forever be compared to his sibling by naysayers, and has been determined to carve out his own footballing path by sporting ‘Jobe’ rather than ‘Bellingham’ on the back of his Sunderland jersey.
Comparisons will forever be levelled at the Black Cats ace, but his talent and prospects to reach his brother’s levels one day, are undeniable.
Sunderland ace Jobe Bellingham can follow in Jude Bellingham’s footsteps
The combative Sunderland midfielder will soon go on to become a senior England international if he continues to progress at the rate of knots seen since his arrival on Wearside in the summer of 2023.
Sunderland risk losing many top talents this summer if they fail to earn promotion, and the former Blues youngster is one of them, with Borussia Dortmund linked with a move for Bellingham.
The Black Cats have been hunting for his potential replacement, with their undetermined fate this season set to play a pivotal role in Bellingham’s footballing future, amplified by their concerning play-offs history.
In Jude Bellingham’s third senior season, he inspired Dortmund to a second-place Bundesliga finish, scoring three times and assisting eight times. Two seasons prior in his final year at Birmingham, he would win the Young Player of the Season award himself, after helping keep the Blues up in 2019/20.
Jobe’s current campaign at Sunderland is his third senior season in English football, with the younger of the two notching seven goal contributions in 39 outings.
Whether the current Black Cats ace goes on to play for Real Madrid remains to be seen, but it is clear the supreme footballing ability runs in the genes.
For Jobe, however, he may have won the same award but is intent on paving his own story rather than following the path of his infamous elder brother.