Jude Bellingham cheers Birmingham on to victory over Barcelona Liam BurtFri, July 31, 2026 at 9:53 PM UTC 0 Jude Bellingham changed into a Birmingham City jersey during the preseason friendly Jacques Feeney/Getty Images Jude Bellingham is back. England’s World Cup superstar made his first public appearance since being back in the UK to see Birmingham City triumph over Barcelona, having just got back from holiday in Hawaii. Birmingham retired the No 22 shirt for his services to the club, not only on the pitch but also off it.
Jude Bellingham cheers Birmingham on to victory over Barcelona
Liam BurtFri, July 31, 2026 at 9:53 PM UTC
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Jude Bellingham changed into a Birmingham City jersey during the pre-season friendly - Jacques Feeney/Getty Images
Jude Bellingham is back. England’s World Cup superstar made his first public appearance since being back in the UK to see Birmingham City triumph over Barcelona, having just got back from holiday in Hawaii.
Birmingham retired the No 22 shirt for his services to the club, not only on the pitch but also off it. His sale, for an initial £25m to Borussia Dortmund, dragged them out of financial difficulties in June 2023. Bellingham was spotted in attendance with his mum and dad, Denise and Mark, and celebrated both of Birmingham’s goals in the friendly, as well as staying for their penalty shoot-out success.
His attendance was teased by Birmingham as they played the Beatles’ Hey Jude before the game, and it was met with immense cheers as he was shown on the screens around the ground. Renditions of the song, amongst chants of “Jude Bellingham, he’s one of our own” became the anthem of a sold-out St.Andrew’s under the lights.
This is what else stood out in the friendly.
One to watch
Hamza Abdelkarim is already back from the World Cup, where he featured four times for Egypt. Could he be the next Egyptian forward to break-through? Abdelkarim became the youngest Egyptian player to feature in the World Cup, at just 18, and is already back in action, eager to impress Hansi Flick at Barcelona.
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He will be looking to throw his name in the hat for consideration as the club assess their options up front, having parted ways with Robert Lewandowski earlier in the summer. The 18-year-old won Barcelona’s first-half penalty, dispatched it, and then scored the goal that put Barcelona into a 2-1 lead, pouncing on a mistake by James Beadle. His 60-minute double at St Andrew’s will do his hopes no harm.
How ready are Birmingham to mount a serious promotion push?
Having finished in 10th place in their first season back in the Championship last season, Chris Davies’ side will be expected by ambitious ownership, spearheaded by Tom Brady, to mount a promotion push this time round.
Tonight they beat Barcelona, as their 2-2 draw took the La Liga champions to penalties, in which Birmingham won 3-2. Sure it was against a much-changed, very youthful Barcelona squad consisting of 17 players called up from “Barcelona B”, but there are plenty of positives for Davies’ side to take from the evening. Owners Tom Wagner and Brady’s project is ambitious to say the least, and will hope to play sides such as tonight’s opponents in competitive fixtures in the foreseeable future.
Chris Davies is entering his third season in charge of Birmingham - Jason Cairnduff/ReutersTale of two goalkeepers
Between the sticks for Barcelona (for the opening 60 minutes) was the experienced and decorated 36-year-old Wojciech Szcz&eogonsny, and for Birmingham, it was young England under-21 international James Beadle. It is never a bad thing for an England goalkeeper to be involved in a penalty shoot-out win. The 22-year-old atoned from an earlier error as he made an outstanding double-save to take the game to a penalty shoot-out, where he brilliantly saved two penalties, sealing Birmingham’s 3-2 spot-kick victory. He will have eyes on breaking into the England squad, and follow the path of fellow under-21 Euros winner James Trafford. Brighton have long said that he has all the potential to be England’s future goalkeeper.
By contrast, veteran Szcz&eogonsny’s evening was not so successful. His mistake put Birmingham 1-0 up over European giants, we’ve heard that before. He endured constant goading from the home fans, remembered for his mistake at Wembley, which led to a historic 1-0 victory over Arsenal, handing Birmingham their second-ever League Cup title. It got worse for the Pole, as August Priske scored the opener, rising above a young Barcelona defence to guide a well-placed header past Szcz&eogonsny in goal. The Poland international was slow to react to the 31st-minute header which lacked any real power, a goal that he should have kept out, as the fans behind the goal at the Tilton End were sure to remind him.
Source: "AOL Sports"
Source: Sports
Published: August 1, 2026 at 01:27AM on Source: RED MAG
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