LAST year it was Jude Bellingham enjoying his crowning moment at Wembley Stadium.
Now younger brother Jobe is preparing for his own date with destiny under the arch.
It was on June 1, 2024 that England ace Bellingham, 21, celebrated lifting the Champions League with Real Madrid.
Jobe, 19, was at Wembley to watch Jude officially announce himself as a world superstar — and the brothers celebrated together on the pitch afterwards.
But, 358 days later, it is the Sunderland star who now has the opportunity to become the first Bellingham to make it to the Premier League.
Jude’s path from Birmingham City to Madrid via Dortmund is known up and down the land.
Though it started in the same Brum academy, Jobe is doing things differently.
And despite the difficulties of following in his brother’s footsteps, he is forging his own identity after a brilliant season on Wearside.
SunSport columnist Troy Deeney, who knows the Bellingham brothers from his time at St Andrew’s, said: “Jobe is going to be on the biggest stage against a Premier League-worthy team in Sheffield United. Everyone is going to be looking at him.
“Maybe this is Jobe’s chance to finally step out of his brother’s shadow. I hope he shows everyone what he is capable of.
“He’s a top, top player. He’s going to be a machine. I was at the play-off semi-final second leg at Coventry and as the game went on he got stronger, not weaker.
“They’ve got this thing — Jobe and Jude — where it’s time to dig in and they explode.
“He’s tweaked his game a little bit as well this year. He’s gone a bit more defensive.
“When he came through at Birmingham, he was a No 10, driving into the box. Now he’s more of a No 8. Breaking up the play, getting box to box, coming up with goals.”
The talented teen has been a key part of the Black Cats’ promotion charge, all the while playing in a new role.
Jobe, who left Birmingham for the Stadium of Light in 2023, was deployed as a false nine for the majority of his first season and scored seven times.
The stats back up how he has become one of the best midfielders in the Championship. With 47 chances created and 78 tackles won, he is making a difference at both ends of the pitch.
While his four goals and three assists are not to be sniffed at either, it is with each passing defensive performance that he is finding his home.
Jobe has made 221 recoveries this term to add to the chances he has made, numbers that highlight just how much of a box-to-box man he has become.
And this was never more evident than in the two-legged play-off semi-final triumph over Coventry with the eyes of the world on him.
He won six aerial duels, made 12 clearances and produced 11 defensive actions — including a tremendous block to deny Haji Wright a late first-leg equaliser.
Sunderland legend Michael Bridges, a three-time promotion winner with the club, said: “He’s shown with the position change that he’s a key player in what Regis Le Bris is trying to do, and we are reaping the benefits.
“Certain players have an aura of intimidation about them.
“I look at Jobe and think he’s got this presence and people are fearful of him because of his engine and quality on the ball.
“He’s a coach and manager’s dream because he’s embraced it so much. The world’s his oyster.
“I would hate to think he’s going to be living in his brother’s shadow but, unfortunately, that’s the world that we live in.
“We’ll ask if he can emulate Jude and who are we to say that he can’t?
“He’s got every opportunity as long as he stays injury free and focused on his game and off-the-field antics don’t distract him.”
As his admirers continue to grow, it could even be argued his attributes would perfectly complement Jude’s if they ever lined up together in the middle of the park.
That could happen one day for England but, for now, Jobe is looking to next month’s European Under-21s Championship.
Borussia Dortmund already have eyes on luring another Bellingham to blossom with them in Germany, while even more clubs across the continent will be monitoring his displays over the coming weeks.
There seems to be a mounting feeling that no matter what, this weekend’s Wembley showdown could be his last for Sunderland.
However, the Black Cats will hope that securing a return to the top flight after eight years could keep him for at least another season.
Even with Dortmund in pole position for the £25million-rated star, the prospect of being the first Bellingham to dazzle in the Premier League could just be too tantalising to resist for Jobe.
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