England could soon have two Bellinghams on the same pitch. Jobe, 21, has been called up to Thomas Tuchel's senior squad for the first time, joining his 23-year-old brother Jude, who was England's star player at the World Cup and is one of Real Madrid's best performers. If both play, they would be the first brothers to appear together for England since Gary and Phil Neville 19 years ago.
Tuchel: "He is here on his own merits"
Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live it is "a beautiful story" and said the pair are close, which should help Jobe settle in. He was quick to add that the younger Bellingham "is here on his own merits, and he is not here because of his brother." Jobe is the current England Under-21 captain, and Tuchel said Lee Carsley had been pushing for some time for him to get senior recognition.
An opening has appeared too. Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly is suspended for the first game and Bournemouth's Alex Scott is injured, so Tuchel described a natural "opportunity". He sees Jobe as a more defensive player than Jude, strong on the ball and physically imposing, and one of five central midfielders in the squad. England host Croatia at Wembley on Thursday 12 November, then travel to Madrid to face Spain on 15 November.
Two careers on a similar path
The routes have been strikingly alike. Both came through the Birmingham City academy and both moved to Borussia Dortmund. Jobe made his Birmingham debut at 16 years and 107 days, 69 days older than Jude was for his. He then helped Sunderland win promotion before joining Dortmund at 19 in a deal worth up to £31m. He wears "Jobe" on his shirt rather than the family name, an idea from a former coach because it shows he is "going my own way".
BBC German football writer Constantin Eckner says the progress has been remarkable. Jobe looked timid in his first months in Germany and even Niko Kovac was surprised how long he took to adapt, but gym work and regular games changed that. Dortmund signed Joey Veerman in August, which made his place uncertain, yet Kovac has since used him as one of two number 10s. His performance in the 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich last Saturday was arguably his best since arriving.
England's brothers: a short history
The Nevilles played together 31 times, first in 1996 against China, the first siblings to do so since Bobby and Jack Charlton, who were both in the 1966 World Cup-winning squad. Nathaniel and Trevoh Chalobah both played for England but never at the same time. Whether the Bellinghams get that chance depends on Tuchel, though with both in the squad and the door open, the odds look better than they did a week ago.
Squad facts: England host Croatia at Wembley on 12 November and face Spain in Madrid on 15 November. Jobe Bellingham, 21, joined Dortmund from Sunderland at 19 in a deal worth up to £31m and has made 14 appearances this season.
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