Jude Bellingham is England’s main man hoping to lead the Three Lions to World Cup glory
England will rely on Jude Bellingham to produce the goods again when they face Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday night. It will mark the biggest game of the 23-year-old superstar’s already glittering career.
Bellingham, alongside Harry Kane, has been the Three Lions’ talisman throughout the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, scoring six goals from midfield to put him in contention for the Golden Boot. Incredibly, he has scored a brace in each of England’s last two knockout games, which were both narrow wins over Mexico and Norway.
But this is a player who has never been fazed by pressure throughout his career, from breaking onto the scene at Birmingham as a 16-year-old, to taking the Bundesliga by storm with Borussia Dortmund, and then spearheading a La Liga and Champions League double in his first season with Real Madrid.
Expect Bellingham to step up and carry the nation’s hopes on his shoulders once more when he comes up against Lionel Messi, the greatest footballer of all time. Now, beyond the on-pitch heroics and various high-profile brand endorsements, Mirror Football takes a look at Bellingham’s private life.
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Girlfriend age gap
Bellingham’s romance with 28-year-old influencer Ashlyn Castro, five-and-a-half years his senior, reportedly began in 2024, when eagle-eyed fans noticed the pair exchanging likes and reacting to each other’s social media posts. The relationship is said to have begun progressing in late 2024 before they were spotted on a lunch date together in Madrid in January 2025.
Shortly afterwards, Castro was seen in Bellingham’s private box at the Bernabeu alongside his family during a Real Madrid match against Girona. They continued to appear together in public over the following months, including at the Madrid Open in April 2025, before going on holiday together off the coast of Sardinia.
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More recently, the Californian-born model has attended several of his World Cup 2026 matches in her home country. The pair were seen kissing after England’s opening fixture of the tournament – a 4-2 group stage win over Croatia.
As rumours linking her with Bellingham grew, Castro’s dating history came under scrutiny from fans online, having been linked with other celebrities such as Michael B. Jordan. She eventually took to TikTok last year to address the false rumours regarding her past. In the emotional video, the influencer clarified that she has only had three serious relationships over the last eight years, defending her personal life against disrespectful claims.
Long before finding herself in the spotlight, Castro built a successful career as a digital content creator and business owner. Amassing nearly one million followers across Instagram and TikTok, she has collaborated with major luxury beauty brands like Clarins, starred in the music video for DJ Khaled’s 2021 hit song Popstar, and even founded her own talent representation agency, The Four Models.
£5million mansion
Whenever he wants some downtime away from his busy footballing schedule, Bellingham can kick back and enjoy his £5.5million mansion. His six-bedroom, 7,000 square-foot, luxury pad is located in the exclusive La Finca district in Madrid and boasts a swimming pool and a gym.
The start of the Real Madrid sensation’s love affair with his home was seen in the first episode of his 2024 YouTube series called ‘Out of the Floodlights’, which went behind the scenes of his life.
The release of the inaugural episode, called ‘Casa Blanca’, saw Bellingham go house-hunting with his mum Denise, dad Mark and brother Jobe after his glamorous unveiling as Madrid’s newest ‘Galactico’. He was immediately enamoured with the property and had quite the smile on his face when trying the lift in what would become his future home.
His mum Denise referenced the intense Spanish heat, saying: “It’s extremely hot, he’s going to be sweltering.” The large pool placed in the back garden provides the perfect relief for the searing summers in the European country.
Alongside the huge pool, Bellingham’s property is said to also have the latest cutting-edge facilities including a home gym, home theatre, gourmet kitchen, private pool and stunning views of Lafinka Golf Club and mountain range.
Living with mum
Despite being one of best footballers on the planet, Bellingham reportedly still lives with his mother. She originally moved to Spain when he signed for Los Blancos to provide a stable environment and help him behind-the-scenes.
Her role includes managing his daily schedule, financial affairs and routine logistics so he can focus on producing his best football. She also cooks his meals, with Bellingham stating upon his arrival in Madrid: “The role my mum is playing is massive. It is probably the biggest role of anyone, more than my coaches and managers, to be honest.”
Denise made a similar move to Germany when he played for Borussia Dortmund. Meanwhile, his dad, Mark, stayed in England to support his younger footballer brother while he was at Birmingham and Sunderland.
Despite him now being 23, mother and son are believed to still share a living space that sums up their tight-knit family. Her key role was highlighted again recently by the midfielder after the dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico, after which he noted how Denise repeatedly warned him to be careful about his behaviour, tackling and attitude during the game to avoid a yellow card, which would have meant missing out on the semi-final with suspension.