Jude Bellingham’s controversial Birmingham City call suddenly makes perfect sense.

Jude Bellingham, a renowned player for both Real Madrid and the England national team, began his football journey in Birmingham City’s academy. He made his debut for the senior team at the age of 16 years and 38 days during an EFL Cup match against Portsmouth in August 2019, becoming the youngest player to do so in the club’s history.

After just one season with Birmingham City’s first team, Bellingham caught the attention of Borussia Dortmund, one of the top clubs in the Bundesliga. He transferred to Dortmund ahead of the 2020/21 season for a substantial fee of £25 million. This move came after Bellingham impressed with 41 appearances in the Championship, contributing four goals and two assists during his time with the Midlands club.

Birmingham City made a controversial decision to retire Jude Bellingham’s shirt number, 22, after his departure to Germany. Retiring shirt numbers is uncommon in English football, and since Bellingham had only spent one season at St Andrew’s, the move seemed unusual to many observers.

Controversial Bellingham decision is turning out to be correct.

When Birmingham City retired Bellingham’s shirt number at the age of 17, it appeared premature, but he proved to be a pivotal player for Borussia Dortmund.

During his three seasons at Signal Iduna Park, Bellingham became a key figure in the Dortmund lineup. His most impressive campaign came in 2022/23, where he contributed 14 goals and six assists in 42 appearances across various competitions, including eight goals in the Bundesliga, two in the DFB Pokal, and four in the Champions League.

Bellingham’s strong performances earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. He made a significant impact, scoring the opening goal in England’s 6-2 victory over Iran in the tournament’s opener. Additionally, he provided an assist in England’s 3-0 win over Senegal in the round of 16.

In the summer of 2023, Bellingham made a high-profile move to Real Madrid for an initial fee of £88.5 million, with potential add-ons that could raise the total fee to £115 million, potentially setting a new record for a British player.

Since joining Real Madrid, Bellingham has improved his game in a significant way.

Since his debut with Birmingham City in 2019, Bellingham has consistently displayed his exceptional footballing abilities. However, prior to joining Real Madrid, his highest goal tally in a single season was the 14 goals he scored for Dortmund across all competitions last season.

In La Liga alone, Bellingham surpassed this tally by February 10, 2024, scoring a brace to help Madrid secure a 4-0 victory over fellow top-four side Girona, bringing his league season goal count to 16.

Real Madrid has positioned Bellingham in a more attacking role than he was accustomed to at Dortmund or with Birmingham City, a strategic move that has proven successful for the 20-year-old sensation, who appears to have a promising future ahead of him.

The decision made by Birmingham to retire the shirt number of a 17-year-old Bellingham is now viewed in a different light, considering his remarkable progress and achievements.