The German media have given their take on Jobe Bellingham’s debut performance for Borussia Dortmund.
Jobe, 19, signed a five-year deal at Borussia Dortmund for a reported £26.96m plus £4.2m add-ons last week, and made his debut for the side during their 0-0 draw against Fluminense in the Club World Cup on Tuesday (June 17).
The England youth international was introduced by head coach Nico Kovac on 59 minutes, and like his brother Jude, cut an imposing figure in the middle of the park.
But what did the country’s media make of his performance?
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German outlet BILD wrote: “Bellingham, in front of his parents, Mark and Denise, immediately demonstrates English toughness after coming on. The midfielder demands and distributes the ball. With England's U21 international (and fellow substitute Nmecha), the game gets a bit more structure.”
Spiegel explained: “BVB coach Kovac had already announced at the goal before the first group match that new signing Jobe Bellingham would not be in the starting eleven. In the 59th minute, Kovac brought him on for Pascal Groß, and the Englishman was able to at least show why BVB paid just over €30 million for him. The 19-year-old Englishman offered plenty of opportunities in midfield and held his own in one-on-one challenges. But Bellingham couldn't decide the game.”
After the match, Dortmund boss Kovac gave his thoughts on the performance, but did not directly mention Jobe.
Kovac told DAZN: "You can already see that South American and European teams will shape the course of this tournament. I’ve already seen some great matches — PSG vs. Atletico Madrid, Palmeiras vs. Porto.
"You can tell how intense these games are and the level of quality on display. Despite the timing of the Club World Cup, the level of football is very high.
"It feels like South America approaches this tournament very differently. The excitement in Brazil, Argentina, or Mexico is much greater than in Germany or Europe in general. Personally, I think this is a really important event, and we want to approach it the right way.
"I hope that Germany will also come to appreciate the value of this competition because it’s vital to compete with the best teams from other continents. I expect South American sides to play a very important role. These teams have incredible quality, and we will definitely see that.”
Dortmund return to action against Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday, 21 June.
Topics: Borussia Dortmund, Football, Bundesliga
Luke Davies