The world knows who Jude Bellingham is. He started his career in club football at Dortmund and currently plays for La Liga club Real Madrid. He also represents the England national team, but what everyone doesn’t know is that Bellingham is a huge cricket fan. The midfielder is from Birmingham and has recently been seen taking a huge leap in the cricket world by buying a minority stake in the Birmingham Phoenix franchise of The Hundred. Bellingham has purchased a 1.2 per cent stake, valued at around 1 million pounds, in the franchise, which is co-owned by Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Knighthead Capital, the American investment fund.
He has bought a 0.6 per cent stake from Warwickshire and Knighthead, who also own Birmingham Football Club, where Bellingham has grown up playing football.
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Bellingham says he wants kids in Birmingham to have better opportunity
Bellingham grew up in Stourbridge and also played junior cricket for Hagley Cricket Club, and has a huge admiration for cricket. He said he feels grateful to Birmingham and privileged to get opportunities and play both cricket and football, but he is also aware that not everyone is as fortunate as he is.
"I love Birmingham. I'm very grateful for what the whole city of Birmingham has done for me. I love cricket as well, so when I got the opportunity to get involved, I didn't really think twice about it, so I'm so happy to be on board. I'm so grateful to Birmingham, the Stourbridge area and the West Midlands as a whole. I got the best upbringing in football, in life, through Birmingham City. I feel like I owe the city something. Right now, it's difficult with how busy I am with football, but if there's a way in which I can help, then I want to, and this feels like a good way." Bellingham said in his statement
He further added, "I think it's so important to get our kids in the city out there playing sports. I think it's crucial and the opportunity for me to be a part of Birmingham Phoenix is to try and help people realise there are different avenues. Some people will enjoy football, some people will enjoy cricket.I want to let kids know, let adults know that there are opportunities to go and enjoy sports. I was fortunate growing up I had the option of playing cricket and playing football, but some kids don't have that opportunity. It's important that if I can get involved in something like this to shine a light on an opportunity for kids, then even better."
The board said that Bellingham’s stake will keep him involved in community engagement roles and CSR projects in Birmingham and the surrounding areas.
