- Belligham’s father involved in angry confrontation
- Incident drew sharp public criticism from Markus Babbel
- Club has since taken action
Following Dortmund’s disappointing 3-3 draw against St. Pauli, a heated argument broke out in the catacombs of the stadium. The confrontation involved Mark Bellingham, the father of Jobe, and the club’s sporting director, Sebastian Kehl. The Bellingham family, who had flown in to watch the youngster’s 德甲聯賽 debut, had gained unauthorised access to the locker room area. His father was reportedly upset with his son’s early substitution and the team’s overall performance.
In an interview with Absolut Fussball former 利物浦 defender and pundit Babbel did not mince words in his criticism of Bellingham’s behaviour.
“That’s completely unacceptable,” he said. “The presumption some parents make and the importance they take on themselves is almost unbearable. What do the fathers think they’ve achieved? They haven’t achieved anything – only the sons have given it their all. You’ll rarely see that from mothers, but fathers often think they’re more important than the players themselves.”
Babbel also asserted that the behaviour was damaging to the club, adding: “With all due respect and joy that he chose 多特蒙德, he has to do everything he can to ensure the club doesn’t suffer any damage. That was definitely not good for Dortmund. I hope Sebastian Kehl has given his father a clear piece of his mind.”
The incident, which reportedly involved “harsh language,” caused considerable internal discontent among the Dortmund players. While managing director Lars Ricken later downplayed the situation, stating that there was “no drama,” the club’s actions suggest otherwise. The Bundesliga club have since taken measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Dortmund have moved quickly to resolve the situation and assert the club’s authority. Kehl reportedly called Bellingham’s dad the very next day and laid out clear boundaries for him and other family members. The club also announced they will implement stricter protocols to ensure that only players, coaches, and officials have access to the locker room area going forward.
Additional reporting by Marko Brkic.
