Mark Bellingham, 50, Scores Seven on England Veterans Debut in 13-1 Win

Mark Bellingham, the father of England midfielder Jude Bellingham, scored seven goals on his debut for the England over-50s veterans team, according to The Mirror and Goal.com. England beat the Republic of Ireland 13-1 in Cambridgeshire on Saturday.

The 50-year-old's performance came in a weekend that also brought a milestone goal for Jude at Real Madrid and a standout display from younger son Jobe at Borussia Dortmund.

How the match unfolded

Bellingham played as a forward alongside player-manager Steve Edkins, The Mirror reported. He scored six goals before halftime, then added a seventh and set up another in the second half, according to both outlets.

It was his first call-up to represent the Three Lions, and he came out of retirement for the game. The Mirror noted that both of his sons also play for England.

England fans praised the result on social media. Claudia Murillo congratulated Edkins on his 100th international appearance and called Bellingham’s showing “a spectacular debut,” The Mirror reported. Another fan, Garry Nelson, said England’s over-50s and over-60s sides had both produced good results.

Who Mark Bellingham is

Before his sons became professionals, Bellingham was a prolific scorer in non-league football, according to The Mirror. His career lasted 17 years and took in 22 different clubs, including Leamington and Bromsgrove Sporting. In the late 1990s he also played for Cheltenham Town and Newport County.

He retired in 2019 but kept competing in veterans’ tournaments. Both outlets reported that Jude and Jobe have credited him for his support during their early years in Birmingham.

The rest of the family’s weekend

Jude, 23, scored in Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over Racing Santander. It was his 50th goal in all competitions for the Spanish club, The Mirror said. He joined Real at 19 from Borussia Dortmund in 2023 for £88.5 million, and has made 154 appearances and recorded 37 assists.

For England, The Mirror said, Jude has 60 caps, 14 goals and 15 assists. Seven of those goals came at last summer’s World Cup in the United States, where England finished third. He has become a key player under coach Thomas Tuchel, the paper added.

Jobe, 21, was named man of the match by many pundits, according to The Mirror, in Dortmund’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. Goal.com said analysts called it his best display since he moved to Germany 15 months ago. He had a goal ruled out because of a foul by teammate Carney Chukwuemeka, so he still has not scored for the club. Jobe joined from Sunderland for £27.8 million last year and currently plays for England’s under-21 side.

Why it matters: a rare family moment for English football fans

The story has no bearing on league tables or national team selection. Its appeal for football followers is the coincidence of three members of one family making news on the same weekend, at three very different levels of the game.

It also shows how far veterans’ football has grown as a structured part of the sport. England’s over-50s team has a player-manager, a fixture list against national sides such as Ireland, and a following of fans who comment on its results. Edkins’ 100th international appearance, which fans noted after the match, points to the same thing.

For the Bellinghams, the result is a personal milestone. Both sons have said their father was with them every step of the way as they rose through the game, and he has now earned an England shirt of his own.

Around Prague, based on reporting by The Mirror, Goal.com