Tuchel under fire in England for Bellingham handling ahead of World Cup
English media criticise Thomas Tuchel's management of Jude Bellingham, questioning decisions that may impact Real Madrid star's World Cup preparation.
English media have taken aim at Thomas Tuchel over his handling of Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, suggesting the Three Lions boss has bottled the chance to properly integrate his midfield maestro ahead of the World Cup.
Questionable selection decisions
Bellingham missed September’s England squad with a shoulder problem and was then deliberately left out in October despite being fit - a decision that’s now coming back to haunt Tuchel with the Madrid man sidelined by hamstring trouble.
While Tuchel did recall Bellingham for November’s qualifiers against Serbia and Albania (giving him 100 minutes across both fixtures), the British press are having a proper pop at what they see as wasted opportunities to build team cohesion.
The Times takes aim
Respected journalist Martin Samuel has gone in particularly hard in his column for The Times, pointing out that:
- Bellingham likely won’t return to action until early March
- Tuchel announces his next squad on March 20th
- By then, Jude will have barely kicked a ball for Real Madrid
“The time that was used to play with the footballer and test your argument is now lost time,” Samuel wrote, suggesting Tuchel’s decision to leave Bellingham out in October was more about flexing his authority than sound management.
Midfield muddle
The criticism highlights ongoing uncertainty about England’s midfield composition, with Samuel noting there are still questions about how to best utilise talents like Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Bellingham himself.
The writer also questions why injured players haven’t been brought into camps to maintain squad unity and understanding of tactical systems - something that could prove costly with precious few matches remaining before the tournament.
For Bellingham, who’s been in stellar form at the Bernabéu when fit, these international breaks represent crucial opportunities to cement his place in England’s starting XI. With his current injury setback, the clock is ticking on his World Cup preparations.