Jude Bellingham returned to St Andrew’s to watch his former side Birmingham City take on Real Madrid rivals Barcelona in a friendly.
The England international came out to a standing ovation as he took his seat for the contest.
Bellingham took a moment to give a wave to the crowd, with Birmingham shooting a video of the midfielder, adding a caption reading: “Jude. He’s home.”
The Blues remarkably held out to a 2-2 draw against a weaker Barcelona side before beating the Spanish giants 3-2 on penalties.
Jude Bellingham returned to Birmingham as he watched his former side beat Barcelona
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The Englishman came out to a standing ovation
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Bellingham’s rose through the ranks at Birmingham with the club’s academy before reaching the first team in 2019.
He would be given the number 22 jersey, a shirt number that would eventually be retired.
The Englishman won the Championship Apprentice of the Year and EFL Young Player of the Season after playing 44 times in all competitions, scoring four goals.
He completed a move to Borussia Dortmund for an initial fee of £25million, making him the most expensive 17-year-old in history.
Birmingham beat Barcelona as Bellingham watched on
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Bellingham stayed in Germany until 2023, winning the Bundesliga Player of the Season before joining Real Madrid, becoming the sixth Englishman to do so.
Since being in Spain, the midfielder has won La Liga, the Champions League, the Super Cup, the Supercopa and the Intercontinental Cup.
With the national team, the Englishman has become a go-to player, as seen at this year’s World Cup.
Bellingham started to make his name at Birmingham
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Bellingham scored twice in England’s quarter-final against Norway, going on to win the bronze boot for being the third-top scorer at the tournament.
The Three Lions finished third at the World Cup after beating France 6-4 in the bronze medal match, with the English midfielder scoring the 10th goal.
Bellingham felt the Three Lions should have gone all the way in the tournament after losing to Argentina in the semi-finals.
The midfielder was sensational for England at the World Cup
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Taking to social media, the midfielder said: “This group deserved to finish on this high note.
“Obviously not what we came for, but the highest finish since ’66 is something to build on.
“Thank you again England fans, this summer has been unforgettable for so many reasons. It’s been a pleasure!”
