Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham continued a weekend of homecoming celebrations in his native Birmingham by attending a cricket match at Edgbaston on Saturday, a day after receiving a hero's welcome at his former football club, Birmingham City.
Bellingham, who grew up in nearby Stourbridge, invested in the Hundred franchise Birmingham Phoenix earlier this year. He has spoken previously about his fondness for cricket, calling it his "favourite thing to watch outside football." On Saturday, he watched the Phoenix women's team secure a dramatic victory over Welsh Fire with one ball to spare. He also participated in the coin toss for the men's match, though the team ultimately lost to Welsh Fire.
This investment in the Birmingham Phoenix is part of a broader trend of significant private financial investment in The Hundred, with all eight teams having new ownership since last year. When announcing his involvement, Bellingham stated, "I feel like I owe the city something. And this feels like a good way."
Hero's Welcome at St. Andrew's
The previous evening, Bellingham was honored at St. Andrew's Stadium as Birmingham City played a pre-season friendly against Barcelona. The club unveiled Bellingham before the match, with their social media account posting a video captioned "Jude. He's home." Fans responded with loud chants of "Jude" and "he's one of our own."
Bellingham, who began his career at Birmingham City before moving to Borussia Dortmund and then Real Madrid, watched his boyhood club defeat the Spanish giants 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. He cheered jubilantly from the stands.
A Fond Farewell to Birmingham City
Bellingham rose through the ranks at Birmingham City, making his senior debut at 16 and becoming the club's youngest player. After 41 appearances, he transferred to Borussia Dortmund for £25 million, and Birmingham permanently retired his No. 22 jersey. He wore this retired jersey during the match against Barcelona.
