Jude Bellingham, England's player of the World Cup at barely 23, has a strong network of support powering his tournament run, including his girlfriend Ashlyn Castro. As the semi-final against Argentina looms on Wednesday, July 15, here are 18 facts about the partner of England's number ten.
Background and Age
Ashlyn Castro was born and raised in Long Beach, California, on the West Coast of the United States. Growing up in the Los Angeles area provided her with early exposure to the entertainment and fashion industries. She was born on December 17, 1997, making her 28 years old. There is a five-year age gap with Jude, who has just turned 23.
Career as a Model and Content Creator
Ashlyn works as a commercial model and digital content creator. Long before meeting Bellingham, she built a career in the fashion world. Her curated digital feeds focus heavily on high fashion, luxury travel, beauty tutorials, and lifestyle aesthetics. She frequently documents her trips to style capitals like Paris and Milan.
She has a following of more than 700,000 users on Instagram alone. Her growing TikTok account also draws hundreds of thousands of views per video. Due to her major reach, she has signed partnerships with elite global brands. For example, she frequently shares sponsored beauty and skincare campaigns for the luxury French cosmetics company Clarins.
Music Video Cameo
In 2021, her modelling career hit a major mainstream milestone when she was cast in a high-budget music project. She made a notable appearance in DJ Khaled's hit music video for the song "Popstar."
Meeting Jude Bellingham
The couple first crossed paths digitally by matching on Raya, a highly exclusive, celebrity-only dating application. They reportedly began talking on the platform in late 2024 before moving their romance offline. The public caught its first real glimpse of the couple in January 2025. They were photographed by paparazzi having a cosy lunch date in Madrid after Real Madrid's Champions League match against RB Salzburg.
Family Relationships
Because Jude's parents, Denise and Mark, are fiercely protective of his career, they were initially cautious about him dating a high-profile influencer. However, Ashlyn was said to have won them over with her down-to-earth nature, erasing any initial "red flags." She has developed a close relationship with Jude's mum, and the two are regularly seen sitting together in VIP boxes, leaning on each other for support during tense games.
Ashlyn has persevered through difficult personal situations, having lost her dad to COVID-19 in 2021. She also manages a complex relationship with her mother, who reportedly has schizophrenia—a vulnerability that insiders say has brought her even closer to Jude's supportive family.
World Cup Support
She became a massive talking point during the 2026 World Cup in the United States. Following England's 4-2 opening match victory against Croatia in Dallas, she was filmed leaning over the railing to share a sweet, celebratory kiss with Jude. She has committed to following the England national team throughout their World Cup run, travelling to multiple host cities to ensure she is always in the stands cheering him on.
In the summer of 2025, the couple shared a private extended vacation in Sardinia, Italy. Ashlyn stayed by Jude's side to support him through his rehabilitation after he underwent shoulder surgery ahead of last season.
Privacy and Rumours
Despite being a professional influencer, Ashlyn maintains a strict boundary by almost never posting Jude on her primary Instagram feed. Aside from a few casual birthday stories of them singing karaoke, she deliberately keeps their relationship out of the public eye to protect their privacy.
Viral trends on TikTok and Instagram falsely linked him to Mexican Miss Universe Fátima Bosch. Bosch addressed reporters at an airport to debunk the rumours, saying she never met the star. Similarly, satirical internet posts claiming he was dating singer Olivia Rodrigo were recently dismissed as false.
