England begin preparations for the World Cup with a training camp in Florida, with manager Thomas Tuchel having to make some difficult selection decisions in the coming days
Jude Bellingham will have to fight for a place in the wide (Image: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Alan Shearer has told Jude Bellingham that he needs to earn a place in England’s starting XI with Morgan Rodgers currently ahead of him. The Three Lions have begun their World Cup preparations at a training camp in Florida, with Thomas Tuchel plotting his approach for the tournament.
Bellingham has been given the number 10 shirt on the squad list submitted to FIFA, suggesting he may be ahead of Rodgers in Tuchel’s thinking. However, Rodgers had a fantastic season at Aston Villa, breaking into the 26-man squad ahead of the likes of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden.
Rodgers played a key role in Villa’s Europa League win, scoring 14 goals and providing 12 assists in 55 games. In contrast, Bellingham failed to win a silver medal in a difficult season for Real Madrid, with just eight goals and five assists.
Although Bellingham is in a better position to represent England, Shearer believes Tuchel should reward Rodgers’ form and challenge the Real Madrid star to win back his shirt.
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“At the moment Rodgers has probably just won by the last minute,” the former England striker told The Sun. “So Bellingham has had one or two injury issues, but Rodgers has been able to play there and he’s doing very well. So he’s going to be the one to start. And we’ll have to see what happens with Bellingham.”
“Rogers has been great. He’s a really, really talented guy. And he’s earned the right to play in the World Cup and hopefully he’ll do very well. I’m a big fan of his. I like the way he plays, I like his attitude and I hope he does really, really well.”
“Let’s be clear: the starting eleven in the first game is not going to be the playing eleven in every game and throughout the tournament. And if there’s a manager to manage the players, if the big players are left out, it’s this manager.
Morgan Rogers arrives at the World Cup in great form (Image: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Let us know what you think. Who will start in the number 10 position for England against Croatia? Comment below.
“What’s definitely different from when I was at the World Cup in 1998 is that we won’t have the same starting eleven. We’ll be playing as a full team and trying to get through on our own, especially in a situation like this.”
England play New Zealand in a friendly in Florida this weekend, ahead of their first World Cup match against Croatia on June 17th. Tuchel is still waiting for four Arsenal players who were taking part in the European finals to join the squad, as well as Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson, who arrived late.
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