Jobe Bellingham has received his first call-up to the England senior squad, joining his older brother Jude in manager Thomas Tuchel's latest selection — a moment Tuchel described as "an incredible achievement for the family."

The 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder follows a path strikingly parallel to that of his brother. Jobe came through the Birmingham City academy, made his senior debut for the club at 16 years and 107 days — just 69 days older than Jude was when he made his own debut for the Blues — before moving to Sunderland, helping them win promotion to the Premier League, and then securing a move to Dortmund in a deal worth up to £31m.

Jude had made the same journey to the German club at 17, going on to become one of the world's best players before signing for Real Madrid.

His own man

Jobe has long worked to carve out an identity separate from his famous sibling. He wears his first name — "Jobe" — on the back of his shirt rather than the family surname, a decision inspired by a former coach to signal, in Jobe's own words, that "it shows that I'm going my own way."

While Jude is an attacking force, Jobe operates deeper in midfield. He is physically imposing, strong in possession, and currently captains the England U21 side.

Tuchel confirmed that U21 head coach Lee Carsley had been advocating for Jobe's promotion to the senior setup for some time. "He's the standout player. He's the captain, so the door should always be open for the pathway," said Tuchel. "He found his way, he found his rhythm with Dortmund. He's had an excellent start to his season, is a regular starter and influential."

The absence of suspended Arsenal midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly for the opening game and the injury to Bournemouth's Alex Scott created what Tuchel called a natural opening. "He deserves to make an impression for us," the Germany-born manager added. "He has an open and calm personality. He's one of five players for the central midfield — a more defensive player than Jude. So strong on the ball, good physique, a big body, a very physical player and can keep possession."

England host Croatia at Wembley on 12 November before travelling to Madrid to face Spain on 15 November.

Brothers in England's history

Should Jude and Jobe appear together on the pitch, they would join a short list of sibling pairs to represent the Three Lions. Gary and Phil Neville — also former Manchester United teammates — last played together for England 19 years ago, having first done so in 1996 against China. That occasion made them the first brothers to represent England together since Bobby and Jack Charlton, 26 years before them.

Bobby and Jack Charlton were both part of England's historic 1966 World Cup-winning squad. Bobby, the younger of the two, earned his debut first and went on to claim 106 caps; Jack, not called up until shortly before his 30th birthday, earned 35.

More recently, Nathaniel and Trevoh Chalobah have both featured for England — Nathaniel as a substitute in a 3-2 Nations League win over Spain in 2018, and Trevoh, now a Como defender, making the first of his three appearances against Senegal in June 2025 before being named in England's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad. The two brothers have never played together for the national side.

Jobe's rise at Dortmund

Jobe's development over the past year has been marked. In his early months at Borussia Dortmund, he appeared cautious — focused on avoiding errors rather than creating danger. Even manager Niko Kovac acknowledged at one stage that it might take longer than expected for the midfielder to settle in the Bundesliga.

Dedicated gym work to increase his explosive strength, combined with consistent playing time, gradually sharpened his game. By the closing weeks of last season, his decision-making was sharper and his pressing intensity had risen noticeably.

Dortmund's signing of Dutch midfielder Joey Veerman in August — a specialist in line-breaking passes — initially put Jobe's starting place under pressure. But Kovac has since deployed him in a more advanced role, as one of two number tens operating behind the striker, where he has driven into the final third and contributed to pressing sequences with real authority.

His display in Dortmund's 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga last Saturday was widely regarded as his strongest performance since arriving in Germany.