MADRID — England midfielder Jude Bellingham turned 22 this week, and while his on-pitch success continues to make headlines, it’s his off-field romance that captured hearts on Sunday.
Ashlyn Castro, the 27-year-old American influencer and Bellingham’s partner, marked the Real Madrid star’s birthday by sharing a series of personal photos and videos on Instagram. In doing so, she offered fans a rare, heartfelt glimpse into a relationship the pair have largely kept away from the public eye.
“Happy birthday. I love you so much!” Castro wrote alongside a photo of the couple embracing.
Since confirming their relationship in February, Bellingham and Castro have been spotted together only a few times most notably at the Santiago Bernabéu, and during England’s 1-0 win over Andorra, where Castro sat beside Bellingham’s mother, Denise. Despite online speculation of tension between the two women, their latest public outing seemed to dispel those rumours.
Castro, who boasts over 500,000 followers on Instagram, posted clips of the couple singing karaoke though fans hoping to hear Bellingham’s voice were left guessing, as SZA’s Snooze played over the footage. “Best karaoke partner,” she captioned it, followed by “Best dance partner,” in a shot of the two dancing.
One particularly intimate photo showed them in a dimly lit red room, locked in a close embrace, eyes fixed on each other. Later posts included a candlelit dinner and what appeared to be a quiet getaway, with Bellingham looking relaxed and happy.
“You bring so much light into this world,” Castro wrote in a tender message. “Most thoughtful, kind-hearted, hardworking, incredible human I’ve ever met.”
But Castro’s return to social media hasn’t been entirely celebratory. Her relationship with Bellingham drew renewed attention to her past, including unfounded rumours and a now-debunked escort site hoax that prompted her to take a four-month break from Instagram.
Earlier this month, she broke her silence with a candid 10-minute video on TikTok.
“I don’t even know where to begin,” she said, voice steady but emotional. “The hardest part is not speaking the truth, but finding the courage to do it.”
She addressed accusations of infidelity and claims that she had dated several celebrities including Michael B. Jordan, NBA players LaMelo Ball and Terance Mann, and even Lewis Hamilton and Jamie Foxx. “I’ve had three boyfriends in the last eight years,” Castro said. “People just made things up because of who I was dating.”
“It makes me super uncomfortable talking on camera about my personal life,” she added. “But this needed to be said.”
Meanwhile, Bellingham is currently in the United States with his Real Madrid teammates, preparing for their Club World Cup round of 16 clash against Juventus. The midfielder remains a key figure under Xabi Alonso, continuing to shine both for club and country.
