Jude Bellingham, widely considered one of England’s brightest talents, faces a genuine battle for a starting spot in Thomas Tuchel’s lineup for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The England boss, who took the helm in January 2025, confirmed as much when asked if Bellingham had a fight on his hands.
“Yes, he has,” Tuchel stated, according to BBC Sport. Despite this candid assessment, the manager clarified Bellingham’s standing within the squad’s elite. “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.”
Under Tuchel’s tenure, Bellingham has started four matches and made three appearances off the bench. This marks a significant shift from his previous prominence, highlighting the increased competition and depth Tuchel is cultivating.
The evolving midfield landscape
Bellingham’s current role contrasts sharply with his indispensable status during England’s Euro 2024 campaign, where he started all seven matches and missed only 29 minutes of action. However, recent injuries and the emergence of other players have altered the midfield dynamic.
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One notable figure is Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, who has featured in 12 of Tuchel’s 13 matches in charge. Rogers was also the only player involved in all eight of England’s World Cup qualifying matches, underscoring his consistent presence and importance to the new manager’s plans.
Injury setbacks and a captain’s cameo
Bellingham’s availability has been hampered by a series of injuries since Tuchel’s arrival. He missed two qualifying matches in September due to a shoulder injury and was subsequently overlooked for October’s international camp, which included a qualifier against Latvia. While he returned to the squad in November, a persistent hamstring issue sidelined him for friendlies in March.
These injury breaks came at a critical juncture for his club, Real Madrid, impacting a “decisive part of the Champions League season and championship campaign in Spain.”
Bellingham made his return in England’s recent World Cup warm-up match against New Zealand in Tampa on Saturday, coming on at half-time and taking the captain’s armband in the 1-0 victory. Tuchel offered a positive appraisal of his performance, acknowledging his recent struggles while praising his current form.
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“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,” Tuchel commented. “He had his break, unfortunately, in a decisive part of the season… 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.”
The manager’s directness with Bellingham is not new. Tuchel previously described Bellingham’s on-field behaviour as “repulsive” during a defeat by Senegal last June and stated he would “review” Bellingham’s actions following his reaction to being substituted during a qualifier against Albania in November. As the 2026 World Cup approaches, Bellingham will need to consistently demonstrate his top form to cement his place in a fiercely competitive England midfield.
Sources: www.bbc.com
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