Station renamed to honour local legend
Birmingham Moor Street Station has been temporarily renamed Bellingham Moor Street ahead of England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, operator Chiltern Railways has announced. The new signage, featuring 'Bellingham Moor Street', is displayed on Platform 3 and will remain in place for the duration of England's participation in the tournament.
Support for the Three Lions
Michael Stewart, Commercial and Customer Strategy Director at Chiltern Railways, said: “Jude Bellingham is an iconic sporting figure from the West Midlands and we have decided to rename Birmingham Moor Street to support the national team ahead of the huge game against Argentina. We wish the national team and Jude Bellingham the best of luck ahead of the World Cup semi-final.”
Born in Stourbridge, which sits at the top of the Chiltern network via Birmingham Moor Street, Bellingham is one of the West Midlands' sporting icons and has played an integral role in pushing the Three Lions towards World Cup glory. Birmingham Moor Street is also located a short distance from Bellingham's boyhood club, Birmingham City.
Fan reaction and match details
Responding to the news on social media, one fan wrote: "Absolutely love this! Bellingham is one of England's best players." Tonight's match between the Three Lions and Argentina has been designated the highest-risk match of the entire tournament by the FBI and FIFA due to decades of political tension, most notably dating back to the 1982 Falklands War, but also historic football flashpoints like Maradona's 1986 'Hand of God' and David Beckham's red card in 1998. Kick-off is at 8pm and will be broadcast live on BBC One and streaming via BBC iPlayer, where coverage starts at 7pm.
