World Cup: Jude Bellingham’s starting role in England squad in danger

English midfielder Jude Bellingham’s starting role in the national team is uncertain as head coach Thomas Tuchel has failed to guarantee his spot ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Since the German coach took charge of the Three Lions, the midfielder has not been starting or playing consistently as he did under former coach Gareth Southgate.

England’s recent 1-0 win over New Zealand was another game in which Bellingham was benched, with Tuchel seeming to prefer Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.

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Speaking to the press, Tuchel hailed the Real Madrid star’s attributes as a decisive player who plays with energy and passion to impact games.

Despite the praise, the coach did not clarify whether Bellingham would start matches at the World Cup, sparking serious concerns.

“I think you can see Jude has decisiveness and bite, this is his key characteristic. But you can also see that he comes from an injury. He is full of energy and happy to be back on the pitch, though he unfortunately missed a decisive part of the season, including the Champions League and Spain’s national campaign.

"That was very unfortunate for Real Madrid and for him personally. But now he is in a sweet spot, he’s fresh, he wants to play, and he’s in top shape. I think you can see that,” Tuchel said, as reported by Sky Sports.

It remains to be seen what role Bellingham will play when the tournament begins, as some English pundits have warned that benching him could be problematic for the team.

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