News Focus
- Thomas Tuchel warns Jude Bellingham faces stiff competition for England starting role
- Real Madrid star has started only four matches under German manager since January 2025
- Morgan Rogers emerges as preferred option with 12 appearances from 13 games
- Tuchel claims squad contains 14 or 15 players capable of starting matches
- Bellingham captained second half of World Cup warm-up victory against New Zealand
England manager Thomas Tuchel has warned Jude Bellingham that he faces a difficult battle to secure a place in the starting eleven for the 2026 World Cup. Speaking to reporters in Florida, the German coach explained that the Real Madrid midfielder is competing with 14 or 15 other players who could all claim a starting spot.
Bellingham has struggled for regular game time since Tuchel took charge in January 2025. The 22-year-old has started only four matches under the new boss. He has made three further appearances as a substitute. In contrast, Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers has become a key player. The attacking midfielder has featured in 12 of Tuchel’s 13 matches in charge. Rogers also played in all eight of England’s World Cup qualifying matches.
Speaking to reporters in Florida, Tuchel confirmed the competition for places. “Yes, he has a fight on his hands,” the manager said. “He knows he is one of the starters. However, we have 14 or 15 potential starters. These roles can change, but right now we have many proper starters. Jude is one of them.”
The situation marks a big change for Bellingham. He started all seven matches at Euro 2024 and missed only 29 minutes of the tournament. But injuries have damaged his chances under Tuchel. A shoulder problem kept him out of two qualifiers last September. He was then left out of the October squad for matches including a qualifier against Latvia.
Bellingham returned in November but missed friendly matches in March due to a hamstring injury. His relationship with Tuchel has also faced difficulties. Last June, Tuchel called Bellingham’s behaviour during a defeat against Senegal “repulsive”. The manager later said sorry for this comment. In November, Tuchel promised to “review” Bellingham’s conduct after he reacted badly to being substituted against Albania.
However, recent signs suggest the situation is improving. Bellingham impressed during Saturday’s 1-0 warm-up win against New Zealand in Tampa. He came on at half-time and wore the captain’s armband. Tuchel believes the player has now found the right condition for the tournament.
“You can see Jude has decisiveness and bite,” Tuchel explained. “This is his key characteristic. He comes back from injury full of energy and happy to be on the pitch. He missed a decisive part of the season with Real Madrid in the Champions League. This was unfortunate for him and the club. But now he is in a sweet spot. He is fresh, wants to play, and is in top shape.”