Who is Jude Bellingham's dad? West Midlands Police officer and footballer who raised England star goal-scorer

Stourbridge-born England midfielder Jude Bellingham has scored six goals in the 2026 World Cup so far - two of which secured a 2-1 win for the Three Lions Quarter Final against Norway on Saturday (July 11).

But did you know his father was a footballer also?

Mark Bellingham built an outstanding reputation in English non-league football long before the careers of his sons Jude and England Under-21s player Jobe Bellingham.

The 50-year-old, who was born and raised in Southend before moving to the West Midlands, was a prolific striker who scored more than 700 career goals in his career, making him one of the most respected goal-scorers outside the professional leagues.

He played for many local teams including Stourbridge, Sutton Coldfield Town and Wolverhampton Casuals.

His career, which started in the mid-80s, was almost over in 2001 as he suffered a his second torn cruciate ligament. But he continued to play and by the late 2010s, he retired from non-league football and started playing in veterans' tournaments.

His last team was Southam United from 2017 to 2017.

Outside of football, he worked for West Midlands Police where he rose through the ranks to serve as a sergeant but is now retired from the force.

After retiring from the police, Mark and his wife Denise focused on managing their sons’ careers, playing a vital role in Jude’s move from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid and Jobe’s switch from Sunderland to Dortmund.

When Jude left boyhood club Birmingham City at the age of 17 to sign for Dortmund in 2020, Denise moved with him, while Mark remained at home with Jobe.

In 2023, when Jude joined Real Madrid and Jobe signed for Sunderland, Mark followed Jobe to the north-east, while Denise moved to Spain with Jude.

Speaking about his parents, Jobe once said: “Before being great parents, they're great people. I’ve grown up around them and seen the way they interact with other people, seen the way they treat people.

“When you have people like that, you don't have to be told how to behave, you pick that up from them… working hard and if you want something, putting in the graft to go and get it.”

And it looks like the England squad are all the richer for their efforts this year.

How do you think England will do when they take on Argentina at the semi-finals this Wednesday (July 15)? Let us know your predictions in the comments below!