While Jude Bellingham is busy lighting up the 2026 World Cup for England, his girlfriend Ashlyn Castro is making waves of her own on social media. A throwback swimsuit photo of the model has gone viral, adding to her skyrocketing popularity during the tournament.
Castro, who matched with Bellingham on the celebrity dating app Raya in 2024, has seen her Instagram following surge by over 100,000 since the World Cup began. She now boasts 846,000 followers, and even her older posts are getting fresh attention from fans eager for a glimpse of the Real Madrid star's partner.
On the pitch, Bellingham has been nothing short of spectacular. The midfielder scored two goals in a 3-2 win over Mexico and followed that with another brace in a 2-1 quarterfinal victory against Norway, bringing his tournament tally to six goals. His performances have drawn high praise from former England striker Gary Lineker.
“I would go as far as to say I think there’s a chance that I think he could well be, or end up being, England’s greatest ever footballer. And that is a big shout,” Lineker told ESPN. “We’ve had some really great players. Some of them have not necessarily done it for their country, others have. Go back to people like Bobby Charlton obviously, I would say would have to be up there. You would put Harry Kane in that bracket and there are other players as well, but I think at this age, to be doing what he’s doing and to grabbing England by the scruff and getting them over the line, that is superstar.”
England now faces a massive semifinal clash against Argentina on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET on FOX. The winner will meet Spain in the final, as the Three Lions aim to reach a World Cup final for the first time since 1966. It's a moment that has the entire nation buzzing, and Bellingham is at the center of it.
While Bellingham focuses on football, Castro's online presence continues to grow. Her throwback swimsuit snap is just the latest in a series of viral posts from athletes' partners during the tournament, following similar buzz around Spain star's girlfriend and Jannik Sinner's girlfriend.
With England on the cusp of history, all eyes are on Bellingham and his supporting cast—both on and off the field. Can the Three Lions finally bring it home? The answer starts Tuesday against Argentina.
