Bellingham's father criticized as 'a disgrace'

According to the Daily Mail, Sir Geoff Hurst (1966 World Cup champion) has condemned the father of the Bellingham brothers after he excessively interfered in his sons' careers.

Sir Geoff Hurst, now 83 years old, is the hero who scored a hat-trick for England in the World Cup final of 1966, and also had a distinguished club career with West Ham and Stoke City. He is currently the last surviving member of the England team that won the World Cup that year.

Recently, Hurst issued a warning to Mark Bellingham (father of Jude and Jobe) following a controversial incident a few months ago. Specifically, in August, Mark Bellingham confronted Borussia Dortmund’s management after Jobe was substituted just after the first half in his debut match for the German club.

That match ended 3-3, with Dortmund losing a 3-1 lead against St. Pauli. According to sources, Mark waited in the tunnel after the game and had a tense discussion with sporting director Sebastian Kehl, expressing anger over his son being taken off early and the team's overall performance.

Commenting on the incident, Sir Geoff Hurst said Mark should show more restraint when intervening in his sons’ careers:

“One thing that irritates me is the press calling him [Mark Bellingham] ‘the most powerful man in English football.’ He complains when his son is substituted, which is truly ridiculous. NIf such behavior isn’t stopped, it really is a disgrace.”

Previously at the event, Hurst praised Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, but clearly the issue involving Jude’s father compelled him to speak out.

Jobe Bellingham transferred to Dortmund from Sunderland during the summer transfer window for £33 million, where his older brother Jude played for three seasons before joining Real Madrid.

After the incident, Dortmund tightened dressing room rules, banning all players’ family members from accessing this area.

The German newspaper BILD also reported that Mark requested a direct meeting with coach Niko Kovac due to his “uncontrollable frustration.” Some Dortmund players reportedly felt he was overstepping his authority at that time.

However, CEO Lars Ricken calmed the situation by telling Sky90:

“We signed Jobe Bellingham because we had built trust with his family over many years. His family flew to Germany to watch his debut and just wanted to meet him after the match. They stood in the corridor leading to the dressing room and spoke with Sebastian, which was completely fine. However, from now on, we will ensure that only players, coaches, and staff enter this area to avoid disturbances. But on that day, everything was resolved, and no issues occurred.”

Hurst’s remarks about Mark Bellingham came amid reports that Mark and his wife Denise are preparing to end their marriage after more than 20 years, following a long period of living apart in different countries.

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