Tuchel's tough love on Bellingham could help England, and the player, at World Cup

3 weeks ago 6
  • Ian DarkeOct 12, 2025, 04:55 AM ET

    Close

      Darke, who called games for the web during the 2010 FIFA World Cup successful South Africa, is ESPN pb shot dependable successful the United States. He has covered the Barclays Premier League and the Champions League since 1982, and has 1 of the world's astir recognizable shot voices.

Thomas Tuchel has already demonstrated passim his nine coaching vocation with Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich that helium is not acrophobic to ruffle feathers oregon reason with his bosses. That is wherefore his appointments are often short-lived. And that inclination to ne'er debar confrontation was precise evident successful his determination to omit England's prima player, Jude Bellingham, from the squad for this month's games against Wales and Latvia.

However, you formal this up -- and Tuchel denies that helium has a occupation with Bellingham -- it is evident that the England brag is making a point, and arguably aiming a changeable crossed the bows of his astir talented player. Why? Reading betwixt the lines of galore a dispatch from the England camp, it seems determination is an contented with however the Real Madrid star's demeanor has been received by immoderate of his teammates.

- Rogers firmly enters No. 10 statement for Tuchel's England
- When tin England suffice for the 2026 World Cup?

- Why has Bellingham, officially England's champion player, been dropped?

He is simply a perfectionist whose assemblage connection tin occasionally look a small disdainful of little talented colleagues. Are these accusations fair? Or is Bellingham simply trying to amended those astir him to get results for the team? You fishy the subordinate himself has, until now, been unaware of the vibes surrounding him.

Though Bellingham himself has admitted helium maintains a "macho image" to deflect from idiosyncratic vulnerabilities, which suggests helium is proceeding the existent temper music.

"You announcement erstwhile helium is not there," England teammate Anthony Gordon said. "He is simply a large presence, specified a large player,"

No 1 is denying Bellingham's value to England's World Cup ngo arsenic some creator and scorer. If the squad were to beryllium selected tomorrow, helium would surely beryllium included. And those who cognize him well, specified arsenic his bully person Jordan Henderson, picture him arsenic a "brilliant character."

But adjacent going backmost to his Borussia Dortmund days, determination were stories that immoderate much elder players took objection to the then-teenager giving them a portion of his caput if things were going wrong.

It is casual to hide however overmuch has happened to Bellingham. He was a fixture successful Birmingham City's squad astatine property 16 and has since played 282 nine games and 44 times for England. He has go an A-list planetary celebrity. So it is somewhat excusable for anyone to get a small giddy connected that phenomenal success.

But present is Tuchel sending a connection that helium should instrumentality thing for granted, that determination are different No. 10s ...

Read Entire Article