Jude Bellingham's furious dad confronted same man who called Erling Haaland a 'burden'

Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham are two of the biggest names in world football but each found themselves tangled at Borussia Dortmund at one point or another

Borussia Dortmund director Sebastian Kehl finds himself in the spotlight once again following a confrontation with Jude Bellingham's father. This isn't the first time he's caused controversy at the club, having previously described Erling Haaland as "a burden."

Haaland, 25, enjoyed two campaigns at the Westfalenstadion, netting an extraordinary 86 goals across just 89 outings. The stint wasn't completely smooth sailing, though, with Kehl indicating that accommodating such a phenomenal talent led to adverse effects for the club in certain areas.

The situation presents quite different challenges nowadays for Mark Bellingham, whose elder son, Jude, has been highly complimentary of Haaland. This comes after he expressed displeasure regarding the treatment of his younger son, Jobe, under manager Niko Kovac.

Jobe was substituted at the interval during Dortmund's season-opener against St. Pauli, leaving his father deeply frustrated. The former police officer was so incensed that he allegedly waited in the tunnel to challenge Kovac following the match.

The younger Bellingham sibling joined the club amid considerable excitement this summer following his £28million transfer from Sunderland. Nevertheless, the midfielder hasn't flourished as many hoped, dropping out of Dortmund's starting XI and playing just 71 minutes in their previous four league fixtures.

England legend Sir Geoff Hurst expressed his disappointment at Mark's actions, labelling them an "absolute disgrace." This certainly hasn't improved his son's situation, who has been largely sidelined by Kovac of late.

This is in stark contrast to the trajectory of Haaland, who experienced a rapid rise in his career in Germany. However, this didn't shield him from the blunt criticism of Kehl, who was candid about Haaland's tenure after his move to Manchester City in 2022.

"In the end, the Haaland issue became a burden in the locker room," he told Sport Bild in September 2022. "As much as we always loved Haaland and he was successful with us, in the end, he became a burden on the dressing room, the club and the whole environment.

"He had become the subject of every conversation. Outside the club, almost everything was exclusively focused on him. In the end, the timing of the transfer was right for both parties. And we are all happy for Erling that he continues to be so successful."

Kehl did add that "Erling is a really good guy," and Dortmund "would like to have him still with us." However, it was the first indication Haaland's exceptional talent on the pitch came with its own challenges.

A comparable narrative surrounded Jude Bellingham following his departure from Signal Iduna Park. The England star moved to Real Madrid in 2023, with subsequent reports suggesting some Dortmund teammates were "glad to see the back of him" because of supposedly arrogant behaviour.

Both Haaland and Bellingham's situations tell the tale of how not everything that glitters is gold. In these instances, it highlights that handling some of the world's most gifted footballers isn't always a straightforward affair.

Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.

Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.

You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.

And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.