 Bellerín playing forArsenal in 2015 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Héctor Bellerín Moruno[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1995-03-19)19 March 1995 (age 30)[2] | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Badalona, Spain | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[3] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Right-back,wing-back | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Betis | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2011 | Barcelona | ||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Arsenal | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013–2022 | Arsenal | 183 | (8) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | →Watford (loan) | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | →Betis (loan) | 23 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Barcelona | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Sporting CP | 10 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Betis | 45 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Spain U16 | 6 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Spain U17 | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Spain U19 | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Spain U21 | 14 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2020 | Spain | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Catalonia | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:13, 23 November 2025 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||
Héctor Bellerín Moruno (born 19 March 1995) is a Spanish professionalfootballer who plays as aright-back orwing-back forLa Liga clubReal Betis.
Bellerín started his career atBarcelona, and moved toArsenal in 2011. He played 239 games across all competitions, winning threeFA Cups and twoFA Community Shields, as well as aCopa del Rey while on loan at Real Betis. He returned to Barcelona in September 2022, and had a brief spell atSporting CP in the PortuguesePrimeira Liga before a permanent move to Betis.
Bellerín played internationally for Spain fromunder-16 tounder-21 levels. He made hissenior debut for Spain in 2016 and was later chosen for theEuropean Championship of that year.
Born inBadalona,Barcelona,Catalonia, Bellerín started his club football career inBarcelona's youth team. He moved toArsenal in the summer of 2011, and signed his first professional contract the following year.[4] While a youth player at Arsenal, Bellerín also helped the club to reach fourth place of theNextGen Series of2012–13.[citation needed]
Bellerín was first included in an Arsenal squad on 26 September 2012, remaining unused in theirLeague Cup third round 6–1 win at home toCoventry City.[5] He made his competitive debut away toWest Bromwich Albion in the same competition the following 25 September, coming on in the 95th minute as a substitute in apenalty shootout victory after a 1–1 draw.[6]
Two months later, Bellerín joinedChampionship clubWatford on a two-month loan deal, and made his debut againstYeovil Town eight days after signing.[7] The loan at Watford was extended until the end of the season,[8] but he was recalled by Arsenal in February 2014.[9]
Following injuries toMathieu Debuchy,Calum Chambers andNacho Monreal, Bellerín made hisChampions League debut on 16 September 2014 in a 2–0 defeat away toBorussia Dortmund.[10] He scored his first goal for Arsenal on 1 February 2015, in a 5–0 win againstAston Villa,[11] and added a second on 4 April to open a 4–1 win overLiverpool despite also conceding apenalty kick through a foul onRaheem Sterling.[12]
Bellerín was selected to start for Arsenal in the2015 FA Cup Final on 30 May, helping the team keep a clean sheet in a 4–0 win over Aston Villa atWembley Stadium.[13]
Bellerín signed a new long-term contract before the 2015–16 season and played the entirety of Arsenal's 1–0 win overrivalsChelsea in the2015 FA Community Shield.[14] He was the sole Arsenal player listed inthat season'sPFA Team of the Year,[15] and came in third place in Arsenal's Player of the Season voting.[16] On 21 November 2016, he signed a new long-term contract after agreeing to a deal that tied him to the club until 2022.[17][18]
Bellerín featured in the following season throughout Arsenal's victorious2016–17 FA Cup campaign. He played in theCup final which Arsenal went on to win by a 2–1 margin against Chelsea.[19] He was again triumphant in the Gunners lifting the2017 Community Shield by beating Chelsea 4–1 on penalties.[20]
Bellerín scored his first goal of Arsenal's 2017–18 season in Arsenal's 3–1 victory over1. FC Köln.[21] On 3 January 2018, Bellerín earned a draw for Arsenal againstChelsea with whatBBC Sport described as 'stunning injury-time strike' in the 92nd minute, having earlier conceded a penalty for a foul onEden Hazard.[22] Bellerín played the full time match as Arsenal lost the EFL Cup by 3–0 to Manchester City at Wembley.[23] On 7 March 2018, Bellerín was ruled out of theEuropa League first leg clash againstMilan with an unknown return date.[24]
Bellerín missed out the first five weeks of the 2018–19 season due to a calf problem.[25] During a league game againstChelsea on 19 January he suffered aruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee and was stretchered off of the pitch in the 70th minute at theEmirates Stadium. He was later ruled out for nine months, consequently missing the remainder of the season and the start of the 2019–20 season.[26] Arsenal coachUnai Emery perceives Bellerín as "very mature" and believes that "he is already preparing to come back stronger than before".[27][28]
On 24 September 2019, Bellerín made his return from injury as a substitute in Arsenal's 5–0 victory againstNottingham Forest in the EFL Cup.[29] On 21 January 2020, he scored in the 87th minute to help Arsenal earn a 2–2 draw againstChelsea in the Premier League. That was his only goal of the season.[30] On 1 August 2020, Bellerín was selected to start in theFA Cup Final against Chelsea, and went on to win his third winners' medal as Arsenal won their 14th FA Cup.[31]
On 14 February 2021, Bellerín scored his first goal of the2020–21 season in a 4–2 win overLeeds United in the Premier League.[32]
On 31 August 2021, Bellerín returned to Spain after a decade, joiningReal Betis on a season-long loan.[33] He made his debut inLa Liga 13 days later, in a 2–1 win atGranada.[34] On 21 November, he was sent off atElche for a foul onTete Morente while his team were winning 3–0, the final score.[35] In the2022 Copa del Rey Final on 23 April, he played the full 120 minutes as his team defeatedValencia to lift the cup.[36]
On 1 September 2022, Bellerín returned to Barcelona following the termination of his contract at Arsenal. He signed a one-year deal, with Arsenal retaining 25% of a future transfer fee.[37] He was signed to cover the absence of injuredright-backSergiño Dest; Barcelona had previously wantedCésar Azpilicueta to cover this role, but he renewed at Chelsea instead.[38]
Bellerín made his debut for his hometown club on 10 September, starting in a 4–0 win atCádiz.[39] Having made only two further substitute appearances, he totalled 141 minutes in the league by the turn of the year.[38][40] In January 2023, Bellerín told the newspaperAra that his annual salary was €500,000, far below the reported salaries of some teammates; he called for footballers to earn less and pay more tax.[41]
On 31 January 2023, Bellerín signed a six-month contract withPrimeira Liga clubSporting CP,[42] for a fee of €500,000, which could rise to €1.5 million with add-ons.[43] He made his debut six days later in a 1–0 win atRio Ave as a late substitute.[44] He played 13 total games for the team fromLisbon, scoring once on 27 February to open a 2–0 home win overG.D. Estoril-Praia; it was two years to the month since his last goal, for Arsenal against Leeds.[45]
On 18 July 2023, Bellerín returned to Betis on a five-year deal, on a free transfer.[46]
Having reached the semi-finals of the2013 European Championship with theunder-19 team,[47] Bellerín made his debut forAlbert Celades'sunder-21 team on 30 March 2015, playing the full 90 minutes of a 4–0 friendly win over Belarus inLeón.[48]
On 29 May 2016, after being named as a stand-by player forthe year's European Championship, Bellerín made his debut forthe full squad by starting in a 3–1 friendly win againstBosnia and Herzegovina at theAFG Arena inSt. Gallen, Switzerland.[49] Two days later, he was chosen for the final squad afterDani Carvajal withdrew through injury.[50] He was unused as they reached the last 16.[citation needed]
In November 2020, Bellerín was recalled to the Spain squad for the first time in over four years, asJesús Navas withdrew through injury.[51] He played in a 1–1 friendly draw away to theNetherlands in his comeback match.[52]
Early in his career Bellerín was known for his pace, which allowed him to take on opposition defenders as well as provide defensive cover. At the beginning of the2014–15 season, he brokeTheo Walcott's 40-metre (130 ft; 44 yd) Arsenal sprint record by 1/100 of a second.[53]
Bellerín is known for his unconventional character revolving around hisprogressive stances,[54] London accent,[55][56][57][58] fashionable looks[59] anddandy lifestyle.[60] Bellerín became avegan in 2017, which he credits for improving his health.[61] In an interview in August 2019, he said that footballers have a responsibility to create awareness around environmental issues and that "It's nice to show what we have—our cars, our watches—but good to send a more meaningful message than 'look how cool we are'."[62]
The2019–20 Premier League was suspended in March 2020 because of theCOVID-19 pandemic. When it returned in June, Bellerin pledged to plant 3,000 trees for every Arsenal victory in the remainder of the season.[63]
Bellerín became the second-largest shareholder ofNational League clubForest Green Rovers in September 2020. He praised their commitments to veganism and environmentalism.[64]
Bellerín is also a creative director for theEA Sports FIFA Volta game mode.[65]
Known for his opinions on political matters, Bellerín has declared himself left-wing and not a supporter of any political party.[66]
On the day of the2019 United Kingdom general election, Bellerin criticisedPrime Minister and eventual winnerBoris Johnson in a tweet where he encouraged young people to vote.[67]
In March 2022, Bellerín spoke against what he described as double standards of the West on other issues compared to its response to theRussian invasion of Ukraine. "It is quite difficult to see that we are more interested in this war than in others", he toldLa Media Inglesa. "I don't know if it is because they are more like us or because the conflict can affect us more directly both economically and in terms of refugees. ThePalestinian war has been completely silenced, no one speaks about it.Yemen,Iraq... now Russia not being able to play in theWorld Cup is something that other countries have faced for many years." He went on to say it was racist to "[turn] a blind eye to other conflicts" and that it also showed "a lack of empathy for the number of lives lost in many conflicts and we are prioritising those that are near to us."[68]
In January 2023, Bellerín declared his opposition toCatalan independence, calling himself "Catalan and Spanish" as his parents were born outside the region.[69][66]
In November 2025, Bellerín declared his support for themayor-elect ofNew York CityZohran Mamdani via a video message during Mamdani's appearance onThe Adam Friedland Show.[70] Mamdani is a member ofDemocratic Socialists of America and his policies have been described asprogressive andleft-wing.[71]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arsenal | 2012–13 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 20 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 36 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 44 | 1 | |
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 33 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5[c] | 0 | — | 42 | 1 | ||
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 35 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8[e] | 1 | 1[d] | 0 | 47 | 3 | |
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 15 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[e] | 0 | — | 23 | 1 | ||
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7[e] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 35 | 1 | |
| Total | 183 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 239 | 9 | ||
| Watford (loan) | 2013–14 | Championship | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Real Betis (loan) | 2021–22 | La Liga | 23 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 4[e] | 0 | — | 32 | 0 | ||
| Barcelona | 2022–23 | La Liga | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Sporting CP | 2022–23 | Primeira Liga | 10 | 1 | — | — | 3[e] | 0 | — | 13 | 1 | |||
| Real Betis | 2023–24 | La Liga | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 5[f] | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25 | La Liga | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4[g] | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| 2025–26 | La Liga | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Total | 45 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | — | 56 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 272 | 9 | 21 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 51 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 355 | 10 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2016 | 3 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 0 | |
Arsenal
Real Betis
Barcelona
Spain U21
Individual
Now 27, he'd come back to La Liga as a zoomer's David Beckham: a world-famous athlete with a cockney accent, [...].
If his clothing choices are unexpected, then so are his outspoken views on everything from climate change to education, delivered in a mellifluous Cockney-meets-Catalonia accent.
From his accent to his mannerisms, the way he dresses and the people he surrounds himself with: Héctor Bellerín is a Londoner.
Bellerin has absorbed local linguistics: he has the best Euro-London accent sinceJérémie Aliadière and says "mate" more often thanRay Parlour.
Political scientists and experts agree that the 'communist' label is inaccurate. Mamdani does not advocate for state control of all industries or the abolition of private property — core tenets of communism... Grzymala-Busse also explained why the term 'communist' is often used as a political weapon in the United States: 'Communism' is wielded as a weapon because during the Cold War, the Soviet Union was the enemy of the United States, and a whole rhetoric of good Americans vs. godless communists dominated. The Red Scare, the McCarthy hounding, the FBI investigations were all in the name of extirpating the enemy ideology. It's not surprising that it telegraphs 'bad' in the eyes of many people and is an easy way to slander anyone who might advocate for redistributive policies.' ... Mamdani is firmly in the center-left tradition, politically similar to the moderate factions of the SPD.
