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After Jude Bellingham scored the overhead kick that resulted in England’s sudden turnaround on Sunday, Tara Leyland and her partner Alan insisted on commemorating the midfielder by naming their newborn son Jude.
Just 20 minutes after Jude Bellingham scored against Slovakia on Sunday another Jude was already stealing his glory.
Born at 7.54pm on Sunday June 30 – within a whisper of Bellingham scoring a stunning overhead kick, taking England to 1-1, before Captain Harry Kane’s goal secured a 2-1 victory – the 8lb bundle was named Jude in the 21-year-old midfielder’s honour.
And his nurse mum Tara Leyland, 31, has already hailed him the “next Jude Bellingham” as she predicts a career as a professional footballer lies ahead of him.
Tara, who gave birth to tiny Jude Thomas Brown at the Royal Preston Hospital, tells The Mirror: “We always loved the name Jude, but we wanted to wait until he was born to decide.
“The day of the match, I went into labour and started having contractions as the game was starting. I couldn’t believe it when Jude Bellingham scored just before our Jude was born.
“We knew Jude would go on to play football when he had a powerful kick in the womb – he was always kicking me! He would always kick me on my right side and stick his big feet out.”
And while Kane’s goal took England through to the quarter finals on Sunday, when they will play Switzerland, she and Jude’s dad, a custodial manager, Alan, 48, believe it was Bellingham’s last minute goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time that turned the team’s fortunes.
“Alan was next to me when he scored and he said ‘You’ll never guess who has just scored’,” says Tara.
“When he said it was Jude Bellingham, I couldn’t believe it. It was so strange, as we had always considered that name and it felt like a sign. I believe in fate and I knew England were going to win after that.
“It was so exciting telling people our baby’s name. People couldn’t believe it.”
And she has forgiven Alan – a massive Liverpool fan – for insisting on watching the match on his phone, even though she was in labour.
“Alan loves football – I said ‘I hope he doesn’t come out during the actual game’,” she laughs.
She now believes all the stars are aligned for Jude, her first baby, to be as prestigious a footballer as his namesake in the future.
For she says the eldest of Alan’s three children from a previous relationship is very sporty.
“Josh, 18, his eldest, loves football and plays for Ashton Town FC in Wigan every weekend,” she says
“Alan also loves watching football. He played for Knutsford from the age of 18 and went on to play for Egerton Football Club – so there’s no doubt Jude will go on to play.
“We’ve already got him his own kit, so he’s going to be England’s youngest supporter on Saturday!”
And there will definitely be one name they will all be cheering – or in baby Jude’s case maybe screaming for – on Saturday…
“Jude, of course!” says Tara.
