For Jude Bellingham, it was the kind of moment that makes even a superstar pause. At Sir David Beckham’s training base in Miami, ahead of England’s crushing World Cup semi-final, the midfielder wrapped his arms around the former Three Lions captain — a man he has long admired, despite being too young to remember Beckham leading England at the 2002 and 2006 tournaments.
The meeting on Tuesday, sources say, was affectionate and relaxed. The two are said to be “very familiar with one another” after crossing paths several times before. That is hardly surprising: both belong to that rare class of British sporting figures whose faces, names and reputations travel far beyond football.
Inevitably, conversation is likely to have turned to the looming Argentina clash, as well as Bellingham’s standout performances earlier in the tournament. Yet their connection goes deeper than match-winning quality or elite footballing talent.
Both men share a strikingly similar public appeal: good-looking, self-assured, working-class footballers with strong values, admired by young boys as role models and adored by legions of female fans.
And although England’s semi-final defeat to Argentina on Wednesday was agonising, Bellingham — who has scored six goals in the tournament so far — appears poised to take a path first mapped out by his boyhood idol: turning football fame into a worldwide business empire.
The 23-year-old Real Madrid midfielder, born in Birmingham, must now wait another four years for a chance to lift the World Cup. Even so, this tournament has served as a powerful springboard for Brand Bellingham, giving him the platform to harness global Jude-mania and begin the shift from elite sportsman to businessman, fashion figure and international icon.
“It’s all been very hush hush,” a well-placed source tells me. “But Jude knows his worth and what he can earn. The levels of hysteria around him can only really be compared to David Beckham when he was in his early 20s. Jude is very, very marketable, and the people around him know he has the potential to become a billionaire — even a ‘Sir’. That plan has only just started.”
According to those close to the picture, Brand Bellingham is now taking clear inspiration from the extraordinary rise and enduring success of Brand Beckham.
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
Embracing Sir David Beckham at his Miami training complex, the midfielder made no secret of his adoration for the hero he was too young to watch captain England
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.
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
‘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.’
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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.
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
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.
And, like Becks, Jude also likes to remind people he is wedded to his roots. While Sir David is known to visit his native East End for jellied eels, Jude has invested in his local cricket club.
‘Jude will never forget where he came from,’ says an insider. ‘And that’s all part of the charm. He’s proud of his roots and had a wonderful, happy childhood.’
Born in Wordsley Hospital in Stourbridge, in the West Midlands, Jude grew up in a modest semi in the village of Hagley.
Denise says his love of football wasn’t instant, despite his father being described as a ‘non-league legend’ who scored more than 600 goals in his amateur career.
‘Jude did not play a lot when he was little,’ she said. ‘He didn’t seem to be interested in football at all. We gave him a ball and he would throw it but did not really want to kick it. It seemed nothing happened until he was about six.’
Then he played for Stourbridge Juniors, but was quickly signed by the Birmingham City Academy.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Stourbridge Juniors’s operations director Jason Connon said: ‘As a club we are extremely proud of our connection to Jude and his career and his incredible performances in the World Cup.’
James Ayres, a primary school teacher at Hagley Primary where Jude attended, says off-pitch he was a kind child and would help fellow pupils who were struggling.
‘He was the first to put his hand up and say, “Come to me, that’s fine”,’ says James.
That, say those who know Jude, is why he is being lined up as the favourite to take over as England captain Harry Kane, who hinted he won’t play in another World Cup.
Then he really would be the heir to Sir David Beckham – with all the financial rewards he could wish for.
