It appears that English football has a bright future. There’s talk of a new wave of players emerging—young, dedicated, and exciting to watch. Sure, they’re team players, but they also want to show their individuality on the field.
Jude Bellingham is one of them
Jude took some time to develop a passion for football. During his neighborhood Saturday morning football practices, he liked to play tag more than football, but at the age of seven, he caught the bug and started playing in the Birmingham City Football Club academy, where he spent ten years. However, Jude Bellingham, then eleven years old, was in Birmingham in January 2015, having only begun secondary school the previous term, and he was relishing the last few days of his Christmas break. Like most children his age, he enjoyed hanging out with his friends and was a fan of both Batman and Caribbean cuisine. And he loved playing football: “All day, every day, any chance I could get to play football I was playing; break time, lunch time at school, and then I’d finish school, come home, and then play outside with my mates for a bit on the little patch of grass… so just football non-stop, really,” he remembers.
“I want to be authentic at all times”
Following the Gucci menswear presentation in January 2015, Alessandro Michele became the house’s Creative Director. Being a Roman and having worked for the company for 13 years, Michele assumed leadership at Gucci with a distinct goal in mind. His now-famous concept of romantic eclecticism is aptly embodied in the Love Parade collection he designed for this spring and summer, and it has certainly sparked people’s need for individuality and character in their clothing.
Without a doubt, this strategy has drawn in a younger audience that is eager to celebrate creativity and its unique identity. Jude Bellingham belongs to that generation as well. one who is fervently committed to the idea of self-expression. “My goal is to always be genuine,” the football player says. Although I’ve already gotten into trouble for a few interviews this season, I feel like it’s always me speaking—never my ‘brand’ or how I think I should be speaking in light of what other people might think. Thus, whether it’s my behavior on the field or off it, it’s always me. I simply attempt to be true to who I am since I know that I’m a polite person.
Alessandro Michele has supported the right to freedom of expression and promoted letting one’s imagination run wild. This is evident in his Gucci designs, which feature happy, bohemian choices of unique clothing as well as a pop-culture mentality paired with eclectic, ornamental accessories that evoke the spirit of Florentine workmanship. Gucci evidently sees in Jude Bellingham the athletic embodiment of the kind of modern free spirit it is always drawn to.
Even though the football player is clearly a member of a younger generation, he still maintains certain traditional tastes. Consider his taste in vintage films: “I enjoy viewing movies as a pastime. I enjoy viewing vintage movies, such as Scorsese and Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. I’m attempting to catch up on everything I missed 20 years before I was born before I start watching any of the more recent classics because I don’t really like the current movies. Jude is based in Germany with his mother, while his father, who still resides in Birmingham with his younger brother Jobe (who currently plays for Birmingham City), is a bit of a movie enthusiast. “My dad is certainly my accomplice in crime because he sends me stuff to watch all the time.
This is consistent with Jude’s criticism that he has an old head on a young shoulder. Many have observed that he plays with a level of poise far above his years. Remarkably, the Birmingham City team retired his shirt upon his departure, which was unprecedented for a 17-year-old: “They kind of surprised me with it… and I have to accept the jesting that followed on the chin,” he says. But where does one get such self-assurance? “To be fair, I’ve got to say I was always pretty confident,” he admits. “I simply thought that I could add something to any pitch I went on.” That wasn’t hubris in the sense of thinking, “I’m the best player here,” it was just a matter of believing in the resources at your disposal. In this case, I felt that I could develop tactics and put in the necessary effort to perform well against anyone on any given day. Having teammates may be quite beneficial, as they possess the necessary knowledge and expertise to help you navigate the game. I am quite grateful for their support and companionship on the field. There were moments when my teammates helped me get through situations when my comprehension of the game wasn’t as strong as that of some of the athletes I was up against.
