Jude Bellingham is facing a crucial World Cup summer with England after falling from automatic starter to uncertain squad member under Thomas Tuchel. Two years ago he was regarded as one of the world’s best players, led England to the Euro final, and had just powered Real Madrid to a league and Champions League double. Now, after a season marked by injury and uneven form, he must prove he still belongs in England’s biggest plans.
Tuchel, known for not bowing to stars, has already made several bold decisions since taking charge of England in January 2025. In last month’s World Cup squad announcement, he left out Harry Maguire, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and, most notably, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden. England’s squad is still valued at more than 1.3 billion euros by Transfermarkt, second only to France among the squads he brought to the World Cup in the United States.
Bellingham has started only four matches under Tuchel. Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa’s rising midfielder, has become the preferred option in midfield and has played in almost every match under the new coach over the past year and a half. Bellingham also missed September’s international window after shoulder surgery, and even after recovering, Tuchel kept him out. In November, Tuchel criticized him for reacting angrily to being substituted against Albania and said he would “check his behavior.” Earlier, he described Bellingham’s display against Senegal in June as “repulsive,” later apologizing and saying he had used the wrong word.
There has also been no clear upturn in Bellingham’s Madrid season. Reports said his relationship with Xabi Alonso was not especially good, and his form dipped again after Real Madrid were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals and lost the La Liga title to Barcelona. England have depth at attacking midfield, with Bellingham, Rogers and Eberechi Eze available, while Foden, Palmer and Morgan Gibbs-White were all left out.
Bellingham did shine in England’s 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand, where he was the team’s best player and wore the captain’s armband when Declan Rice and Harry Kane were off the pitch. Still, Tuchel kept his role open-ended, saying: “He had a difficult season with injuries and ups and downs with Real Madrid, but now he is in top condition and in a good place. At the moment I believe there are 14 or 15 players who can start, and Jude is one of them.”
