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Bellingham's starting role in doubt ahead of World Cup
Jude Bellingham, England's Real Madrid midfielder, is competing for a place in the starting lineup as manager Thomas Tuchel names a deep squad with 14 or 15 potential starters. The 22-year-old has started just four of Tuchel's 13 matches in charge since January 2025.
Tuchel's squad depth challenges Bellingham
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers has emerged as Tuchel's preferred choice, featuring in 12 of the 13 matches under the German coach and appearing in all eight World Cup qualifiers. Bellingham, meanwhile, has made only seven appearances-four starts and three substitute outings-since Tuchel took over.
When asked about Bellingham's chances of securing a starting spot, Tuchel acknowledged the competition: "Yes, he has [a fight on his hands]. He is one of the starters, he knows he is one of the starters, but we have 14 or 15 potential starters. These roles can always change, but at the moment I think there are 14 or 15 proper starters and Jude is one of them."
Injuries and selection struggles
Bellingham's recent form has been disrupted by injuries and managerial decisions. He missed two Euro 2024 qualifiers in September 2024 due to a shoulder injury and was left out of October's international camp, including a match against Latvia. A hamstring issue further sidelined him for March's friendlies.
His relationship with Tuchel has also faced scrutiny. The manager previously criticized Bellingham's on-field behavior during England's June 2024 defeat to Senegal, calling it "repulsive" before later apologizing. In November, Tuchel said he would "review" Bellingham's reaction to being substituted in a qualifier against Albania.
Signs of recovery in warm-up match
Despite the setbacks, Tuchel praised Bellingham's performance in England's 1-0 warm-up win over New Zealand in Tampa on Saturday. The midfielder, who wore the captain's armband after coming on at halftime, impressed with his energy and decisiveness.
"You can see Jude has for sure the decisiveness and bite. This is his key characteristic, but you can see that he comes from an injury and is full of energy and happy to be back on the pitch. He had his break, unfortunately, in a decisive part of the season, the Champions League season and campaign for the championship in Spain, so this was very unfortunate for Real Madrid and for him personally. But you can see now that he is actually in a sweet spot. He comes back, he's fresh, he wants to play and he's in top shape."
Thomas Tuchel
What's next for Bellingham?
With the World Cup looming, Bellingham's fitness and form will be critical in determining his role. Tuchel's squad depth means no player is guaranteed a starting spot, but Bellingham's recent performance suggests he is regaining his rhythm at a crucial time.
