Jude Bellingham has gone public with his affection for girlfriend, Ashlyn Castro following her return to Instagram after a four-month absence.
The Real Madrid and England star responded to her latest post with a green heart emoji, and Castro replied with a kissing-face emoji, marking a very public show of affection.
The couple’s relationship was first revealed in January, and they have since been seen together several times, including at the Bernabéu, where they watched a match alongside Bellingham’s mother, Denise. They also appeared together after Real Madrid’s Champions League clash against Manchester City earlier in the season.
Castro, 27, is a model and influencer with over 600,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok. Despite their growing visibility, the early stages of her relationship with 21-year-old Bellingham have been overshadowed by internet speculation and false claims. A viral video linked her to several celebrities, including Michael B. Jordan, LaMelo Ball, Terance Mann, Lewis Hamilton, and Jamie Foxx, based on social media interactions.
In response to the attention, Castro released a 10-minute emotional video on TikTok addressing the rumors.
In the monologue, titled “The hardest part is not speaking the truth, but finding the courage to do it,” she denied allegations of infidelity and explained that she had only been in three relationships over the past eight years.
She explained that her first relationship, in 2017, was with a public figure, which opened her up to unwanted scrutiny.
She said, “There was nothing on the internet about me prior, so people kind of just made up a bunch of things to justify hating me because of who I was dating at the time.” She added, “Every angle you can think of, people have attacked me, harassed me, been so disrespectful. It’s just been too much.”
Castro said it was difficult for her to speak on camera about her personal life but felt compelled to address the misinformation. She clarified that she’s only had three serious relationships, including one with NBA player Terance Mann, who has publicly defended her.
In a livestream, Mann said, “Ashlyn is cool, people. I don’t know why everybody is on her head about anything. She’s cool. Me and Ash are cool.” He also shut down cheating rumors, encouraging fans to “calm that narrative down.”
Despite the challenges, Bellingham and Castro appear to be stronger than ever, brushing off the noise and continuing to share glimpses of their bond with the world.