Jude Bellingham has been one of England’s most important players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, helping the Three Lions into the semi-finals. But as his on-field performances continue to draw headlines, curiosity about his personal life has grown just as fast. The 22-year-old Real Madrid midfielder is dating American model and content creator Ashlyn Castro, 28, and the two have gone to considerable lengths to keep things quiet. Fans, however, have been paying close attention.
Who is Ashlyn Castro and how did she meet Jude Bellingham ?
Ashlyn Castro was born on December 17, 1997, in California, making her six years older than Bellingham. She has built a following of over 730,000 on Instagram as a model, influencer and content creator, working with brands like Clarins and appearing in DJ Khaled’s music video for Popstar. Her grid leans into beauty, lifestyle and travel, with her bio offering nothing more than a green heart.The couple reportedly matched on Raya, the celebrity-exclusive dating app, sometime in late 2024. Neither has confirmed this publicly, but the timeline supports it. By November 2024, the two were already interacting on Instagram. Then in January 2025, they were photographed together having lunch in Madrid after Real Madrid’s Champions League match against RB Salzburg. Shortly after, Ashlyn was spotted at the Bernabeu alongside Bellingham’s mother, Denise, which said quite a lot without either of them saying anything at all.ID@undefined Caption not available.ID@undefined Caption not available.
Has Ashlyn Castro confirmed her relationship with Jude Bellingham?
Not in any formal sense. Both have stayed conspicuously quiet about what is clearly a real, ongoing relationship. The confirmation has come through presence rather than posts. In February 2025, Ashlyn attended Real Madrid’s match against Girona, sitting in the VIP section with Jude’s family. That kind of access does not happen by accident.The most telling moment came around Jude’s 22nd birthday. Ashlyn’s Instagram Stories showed the two singing SZA’s Snooze at what appeared to be a karaoke session, dancing together and sharing a kiss. It was the closest thing to a public declaration either has offered, and even then it was casual, almost incidental.The couple were also seen together at the Spanish tennis open in April, further confirming this is not a situationship the tabloids have been misreading.
Has Ashlyn Castro been watching England at the 2026 World Cup?
She has been present, and fans have noticed. Ashlyn was in the stands for England’s 4-2 group stage victory over Croatia at Dallas Stadium on June 17. After the match, she and Jude were seen sharing a quick kiss in the stands, which many took as confirmation of everything that had been speculated about for months. She returned on July 1 for England’s final group game against DR Congo, spotted arriving with other players’ partners.She has not shared any of this on her Instagram, which fits the pattern entirely. The relationship exists in glimpses rather than announcements: a birthday video here, a pitch-side appearance there. For a footballer of Bellingham’s profile, that kind of restraint is not accidental. It is a choice.Whether that changes as England’s tournament run continues remains to be seen. The deeper they go, the harder it becomes to keep anything quiet.
