Meet Mark Bellingham, Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham’s father, who scored over 700 goals in non-league football

Real Madrid's new signing Jude Bellingham has made a sizzling start to life at Los Blancos, scoring goals galore.

Following his brace in the team's 4-0 home win over Osasuna in La Liga on Saturday, the 20-year-old has 10 goals and three assists in 10 games across competitions. Eight of those goals (and three assists) have come in eight league outings.

So, what's the secret of the former Borussia Dortmund star's goalscoring prowess? Turns out it's in the genes. Jude's father Mark Bellingham - a striker in his playing days - scored over 700 goals for over 15 non-league clubs. His 700th came at the age of 40 for Midland League Division Two side Paget Rangers.

Mark played till 2019 when he was 43, juggling between his daytime job as a footballer and his football shift at 10 pm. Now, Mark is his eldest son, Jude Bellingham's agent and has been enjoying his metronomic success with pride from the sidelines.

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More about Real Madrid attacker Jude Bellingham's father, Mark Bellingham

Real Madrid attacker Jude Bellingham

Unlike his son Jude Bellingham, who's into his fourth top-flight season across two different leagues, Mark Bellingham never went beyond non-league football. However, the journeyman footballer bringing up his 700th goal at the age of 40 is impressive.

On reaching the landmark, the non-league legend told the Non League Paper that most of his goals came from tap-ins, so his teammates also deserve as much credit:

"I've started to score a lot more tap-ins and the range is getting a lot shorter. The 700th was a free-kick which isn't regular for me at all. Anything outside the box for me is abnormal! I needed 38 goals last season but got to 36, and then was banned for the last game because of a red card - my first sending-off."

The-then seargent for West Midlands Police continued:

“I’ve managed my ability well, I’ve always said I’m not that great a player and although I’m still scoring, I am playing at Step 7!. Most of the 700 were from not very far out, so I think I owe my teammates over the years a lot more than they owe me."

Jude's father scored his first goal in non-league football for East Thurrock United against Horsham YMCA in August 1994, nearly nine years before Jude was born.

At the time, Mark Bellingham said about his eldest son, the latest sensation of Real Madrid:

“I’m 40 now, so I think this season will probably be my last. I’m playing veterans’ football a bit more on Sundays, and my eldest son is now playing for Birmingham U16s – maybe it’s time to finally step away.”

Jude Bellingham has now taken flight for Real Madrid, and the sky appears to be the limit for the immensely talented 20-year-old.