Thomas Tuchel has reportedly decided to draft Jude Bellingham back into his England squad for the November internationals. The Real Madrid superstar was surprisingly left out of the Three Lions’ ranks in October after recovering from shoulder surgery and returning to action at club level. The expectation is that he will figure in 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.
Bellingham's last England appearance: Recovered from shoulder surgery
Eyebrows were raised when Tuchel chose to overlook Bellingham for fixtures that saw England book their tickets to next summer’s global gathering in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The German tactician stuck with those that performed admirably in September.
Tuchel claimed that Bellingham was left out as he was lacking “rhythm” after several weeks on the sidelines. The 22-year-old midfielder has not represented his country since June, with his international coach going on to reveal that his mother finds some of Bellingham’s on-field behaviour “repulsive”.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTuchel's England warning to 'most talented players'
Questions were asked of Bellingham’s character on the back of those comments, with Tuchel eager to establish squad harmony ahead of a bid for World Cup glory. He has said: “We are not collecting the most talented players, we are trying to build a team. Teams win trophies, no-one else.
“That’s how it is in international football. But the thing you are playing [back to me] is not what I am saying. You are playing the game that says: ‘He [Tuchel] is saying the others who aren’t in the team, you cannot build a team with them’. It’s not like this. We built a team with the players who were available and they did so well so we go again with them. Nobody said we can’t do the same with them. Or even better, or maybe the same level, with the others.
“For this moment we stick with our choice and the radical statement is that we don’t collect the most talented players. We collect the guys who have the glue and cohesion to be the best team. Because we need to arrive as the best team. We will arrive as underdogs at the World Cup because we haven’t won it for decades and we will play against teams who have repeatedly won it during that time. So we have to arrive as a team or we will have no chance.”
Ex-England star reacts to questions of Bellingham's character
reports that Bellingham will be given a chance to prove his worth when Tuchel names his latest England squad on Friday. He has been catching the eye for Real Madrid of late, netting three goals through his last four appearances, and will get the chance to add to his collection of 43 senior international caps.
Danny Murphy will be among those pleased to see Bellingham welcomed back into the fold, with the ex-England midfielder having told GOAL in the wake of October’s snub: “I find the narrative around his character and any problems a little bit strange because when I have watched England – I have watched them a lot at tournaments and watched him closely, he is, by far, the best character on the football pitch when England play, in terms of producing big moments, grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck, leaving everything out there.
“If you could have 11 Jude Bellinghams, you would win most tournaments. The element of not talking to the press or not doing interviews or the odd swear word or rant or a little bit of what some people would call arrogance, that is what creates the player on the pitch. They are just rumours because a lot of the feedback from the players – Jordan Henderson recently said how much he likes him and how great a character he is – I think some of it has been exaggerated.
“From a footballing perspective, we have a much better chance of winning the World Cup if he is in the team. I don’t mean just in the squad, I mean in the team. He is a phenomenal talent. We should be – as pundits, fans, press – building him up, applauding him and being thankful that we have got him, not trying to pull him down because he is the best one we have got. He is the game-changer in our side. He is the one that can make things happen. He’s just a phenomenal player.
“I don’t blame Tuchel for not bringing him back on this particular occasion because he has only played a few minutes for Real Madrid. I understand that and don’t see that as a drama. I don’t see that as a big statement. We are playing two games we should win comfortably – let him get on with his fitness, let him get on with building himself back up. I would be absolutely gobsmacked and amazed if he is, if fit, not in Tuchel’s first XI come the World Cup.”
GettyEngland fixtures: World Cup qualification secured
England, who have already topped their World Cup qualification group after taking maximum points from six fixtures that have all delivered clean sheets, will be back in action on November 13 when playing host to Serbia. They will then travel to Albania three days later as their 2025 schedule is wrapped up.