There is no doubt that Jude Bellingham is one of England’s most important assets as they hope for World Cup glory. He’s a superstar in this game and one of the best midfielders on the planet, firing on all cylinders. However, his poor attitude is starting to become a problem for the Three Lions and needs to change quickly.
His disagreements with manager Thomas Tuchel have never been more evident, with the two sides clashing on several occasions. The England manager raised eyebrows in the summer when he revealed that his mother found Bellingham’s behavior on the pitch to be “uncomfortable” at times. Tuchel later retracted his comments and insisted he was a big fan of the player, but tensions have continued ever since.
Bellingham’s omission from England’s squad for games against Wales and Latvia last month sparked further controversy. He returned to the team against Albania on Sunday, but showed his temper by throwing a strop while being substituted in the second half.
It was a wise decision considering he had just received a caution and a second yellow would mean a suspension for England’s first World Cup match. But Bellingham didn’t think so and showed his anger without hesitation.
Tuchel was unimpressed and made it clear in his post-match press conference that he had no intention of pandering to his players just because they were waving their arms. That’s also natural.
Bellingham just needs to get his act together and see the big picture for the benefit of his teammates. England need everyone to move in the right direction to improve their chances of winning their first World Cup in 60 years.
The last thing you want is a rift in your camp, and that never bodes well for a team competing for glory on the biggest international stage.
Just ask France, who saw their 2010 World Cup activities thrown into disarray due to player dissatisfaction. Or Ireland, who have Roy Keane to thank for his dramatic attack on his team-mates that overshadowed the 2002 tournament.
England failed to win anything under manager Gareth Southgate, but their unity and cohesion were key to reaching two major finals. That’s a key quality that Bellingham currently lacks.
If he continues to steal the headlines for the wrong reasons through his bad attitude, England’s dreams of World Cup glory could well be tarnished as a result.
Next summer will be their best chance in a generation, and it would be a shame to see it ruined by one player’s temper.
Simply put, he will let his country down by refusing to let go of his bad attitude and strive for the good of the team. It’s unnecessary and needs to be changed immediately.
