As the football season draws to a close, attention quickly turns to the upcoming World Cup. With less than a month until the opening game between Mexico and South Africa, preparations are already in place.
However, Tuchel has previously removed Bellingham from his squad. The attacking midfielder was one of England’s key players during their run to the Euro 2024 final, but found it difficult to impress Tuchel during the German’s time as Three Lions manager.
Tuchel has previously hinted that reputation alone will not be enough to earn him a spot in the squad and that selection will be largely influenced by performance. Bellingham has not been able to perform at his usual high level this season, with Real Madrid’s star player also suffering from some injury problems.
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Bellingham previously faced criticism from Tuchel after appearing to cause a fuss after being substituted during last year’s World Cup qualifiers. Asked about the former Birmingham star’s attitude, Tuchel said: “It’s a decision and he has to accept that decision…”
“We’ll have to look at it, but I know he’s not happy. We’re not going to make it any bigger than it is at the moment. Players like Jude are very competitive and will never like it. My word stands. It’s about standards and levels, commitment and respect for each other. We’re not going to change our decision just because someone waves their arm.”
England will play two warm-up games against New Zealand and Costa Rica before their World Cup opener against Croatia on June 17th. A match against Ghana follows, with the 1966 winners completing the group stage against Panama in Matchday 3.
