Jude Bellingham regrets the cancelled brotherly duel - and hopes for many more

Not seen together on the pitch for the time being: Jude (left) and Jobe Bellingham. imago images (2)

Matthias Dersch reports from New Jersey

Excitement is high at 7:09 p.m. in the press tent next to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Here, where Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid will face off in the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup the following day, the mixed zone featuring three Real Madrid players is about to take place. One player in particular is the focus of attention: Jude Bellingham , a former Dortmund player and the older brother of Jobe , who has been wearing the BVB jersey since this summer.

The approximately 60 Spanish-speaking journalists aren't interested in the canceled brotherly duel—Jobe received an unnecessary yellow card in the round of 16 match against CF Monterrey and is therefore suspended—but are instead grilling Bellingham on a variety of other topics, often simultaneously. Maintaining composure in this chaos and maintaining concentration to deliver a useful answer is a feat the Englishman has mastered with ease after two full years at Real. When a journalist drops his microphone in the crush, he briefly interrupts his response, picks it up, and then seamlessly continues his remarks.

At some point, the German journalists who had traveled with the team managed to break through the deafening noise of their colleagues from Spain and asked Bellingham about his brother. "Unfortunately, he'll only be able to watch the game from the stands. That's a shame, but I hope we'll have more opportunities to play against each other in the future," Jude said of Jobe, adding that his parents would also be in the stadium. "It would have been a wonderful moment for us as a family to play against each other here."

Jude Bellingham is generally pleased that his younger brother plays for BVB. The two siblings are in close contact, communicating daily, usually by phone. However, he didn't offer Jobe any advice when he was struggling with his decision. "It was a big debate for him about which decision to make," Jude Bellingham reveals in New Jersey. "But I'm very happy that he chose BVB. I know the people there look out for him and the fans will be good to him. It makes me proud that my family's story continues in Dortmund. I had a great time there. Now it's his story."

This may continue in the semifinals of this Club World Cup. Jobe Bellingham's suspension would then have expired. That's assuming, of course, that BVB pulls off an upset against the favored Madrid on Saturday in front of well over 50,000 spectators at MetLife Stadium. Besides Bellingham, coach Niko Kovac will also be without Jamie Gittens and Soumaila Coulibaly , both of whom will be out of the squad due to their upcoming transfers. Carney Chukwuemeka, however, has returned to full fitness after being sidelined with illness.

Dortmund's confidence after twelve unbeaten matches across all competitions (ten wins, two draws) is evident in the club's decision to close its team headquarters in Fort Lauderdale. Not to be able to return home quickly, but to permanently relocate to New York and New Jersey, respectively, where the semifinals and final of this tournament will also be played.

"We moved here with all our belongings. We want to stay here. Because the next three Club World Cup matches are taking place here. We hope and believe that we can be there for all of them," says Kovac. BVB must lay the foundation for this on Saturday against Jude Bellingham and his Madrid side – even without the help of his younger brother.