Jude Bellingham is the new David Beckham

Last week, Jude Bellingham pulled a page out of Kim Kardashian’s book, breaking the internet with a scantily-clad photo posted to social media of him modeling Kim K’s underwear range, SKIMS.

For some, it was an opportunity to stop and admire. For others (me), it was a reminder that I’ll never look like a footballer no matter how hard I try. But for Bellingham, the near-nude photoshoot was a proclamation that he is the soccer world’s next endorsement sweetheart, the likes of whom hasn’t been seen since the days of David Beckham. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 

Not just underwear deals

Few would have predicted Bellingham would have such a prolific debut season with Real Madrid since arriving at the Spanish capital last summer. The 20-year-old led Los Blancos to a La Liga crown and 15th Champions League title, scoring an astounding 23 goals as a midfielder in all competitions.

It only took Bellingham a year to reach hero status at the Bernabéu, and now companies from London to Los Angeles are taking note.

In addition to SKIMS, Bellingham has recently inked endorsement deals with Adidas, Louis Vuitton, and energy drink brand Lucozade. His partnership with Adidas, which stretches back a few years, reached new heights last week when the German sportswear giant featured him in their flagship advertisement for the European Championship.

This advertisement is remarkable for two reasons:

• Adidas must have splashed some serious cash to license “Hey Jude,” as rights to The Beatles’ songs are notoriously expensive.

• Bellingham is Adidas’ first flagship European player in years. He is not sharing the headline billing with anyone, and doing so at just 20 years old.

Adidas are clearly placing a ton of stock in Bellingham’s marketability. Only Lionel Messi has received such treatment from the Three Stripes at recent international tournaments. Several players – like Paul Pogba, Karim Benzema, Mesut Özil, and Gareth Bale – have shared the spotlight in the brand’s video advertisements for the past two European Championships.

But not this time. These Euros are all about Bellingham. 👑 

A “commercial machine”

It’s easy to see why the midfielder is so marketable. On the pitch, he’s a force. Bellingham’s athleticism, versatility, and technical ability naturally make him stand head and shoulders above the competition (literally), and his composure and intelligence are unparalleled for such a young talent. There’s an aura of calmness – a feeling that good things are bound to happen – when the ball’s at his feet.

While his signature celebration – facing the crowd, looking to the sky with arms stretched wide – shows he clearly won’t shy away from the spotlight, the Birmingham City product isn’t all flash, either.

Bellingham is equally as industrious and hard-working as he is talented – a breath of fresh air in a sport where so many highly-touted prospects are afraid to stick in a boot. It’s no surprise that managers love his hard-working nature.

Bellingham’s cool-as-a-cucumber presence extends off the pitch too. His infectious smile, perfectly-cut hair, impeccable fashion sense, and model girlfriend (you’re welcome) are straight out of the David Beckham School of Superstardom, but – rather unlike Beckham – Bellingham is somehow able to maintain all of these with an aura of relatability. His dad was a policeman after being a prolific goalscorer in non-League soccer.

Like Beckham, he isn’t afraid to inject his personality into press conferences, simultaneously speaking with the polish of a 35-year-old veteran and the coolness of a California teen who was the first in their friend group to get their learner’s permit.

Throw in a healthy dose of “I don’t give a shit” with a thick Brummie accent and you get interviews like this:

While at Real Madrid, Beckham won good faith with Madridistas by regularly speaking Spanish at press conferences. Bellingham has done the same, addressing fans in Spanish while celebrating the club’s La Liga triumph. He even sang in Spanish at Real Madrid’s Champions League parade, revealing that tone deafness is the only weakness in his game.

Zoom out: Even England boss Gareth Southgate has compared Beckham to England’s new number ten, but only five seasons into his professional career, Bellingham has a long way to go before he reaches Beckham’s iconic status. Leading Three Lions to their first major silverware since 1966 with a European title would send him well on his way. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿