Thomas Tuchel insists he has “no problem” with Jude Bellingham. Why do we do that? But after leaving the Real Madrid star out of the England squad, Tuchel raised further questions about the midfielder’s future ahead of Thursday’s game against the Three Lions and Wales.
Asked why Bellingham was not selected, Tuchel cited Bellingham’s lack of rhythm after just returning from shoulder surgery, but also insisted that the building of “team spirit” was a contributing factor to his “very simple decision to go with the same group of players” from the previous international break, including the 5-0 win over Serbia at the height of Tuchel’s reign.
In his pre-match press conference, Tuchel once again emphasized the message of friendship. This week we saw Steven Gerrard describe the golden generation as “selfish losers” in a conversation with Rio Ferdinand after the 2006 World Cup failure.
“When I hear people talking about international football titles and missed opportunities, I always hear the same song: ‘We were a team,’ or ‘we were not a team,'” Tuchel said. “I think the competition between the clubs was huge at this moment. And they obviously couldn’t find a way to embrace a bigger purpose, a bigger goal. A big, big opportunity was wasted.”
Tuchel has thanked Gareth Southgate for resolving the conflict between the clubs, but says it shouldn’t be a problem for Bellingham, who has never played in the Premier League, anyway.
But Tuchel is keenly aware, even obsessed, of the need for harmony among players at major tournaments. And it’s becoming increasingly difficult not to make connections between his decision to disparage Bellingham and his efforts to “build a talented team” like the New England Patriots.
“I have to accept my role and what makes the best teammate,” he said. “The only way you can make anything happen at the World Cup is if you go there with a strong team. I saw a documentary about the New England Patriots, and there was a quote in there that said, ‘You don’t build a team with the best players, you build a team with talent.’
Three more lions reported on F365
👉 England: Tuchel sends message to Arsenal star to resolve ‘serious problems’ with Bellingham-like verdicts
👉 Insider hints at Bellingham ‘shock’ Prem return as England star feels disrespected and ‘does a good thing’
👉 6 reasons why the England international’s disdain for Thomas Tuchel’s revelations about Everton’s Jack Grealish is nonsense…
A desire to add as many of the best players as possible to the squad was a criticism leveled at Southgate, who played Phil Foden on the left at Euro 2024 rather than a more natural winger. And if Tuchel wants to avoid the same mistake, he’ll have the tremendously talented No. 10 on the bench and even more players watching from home.
Tuchel will insist he is not referring to anyone in particular, and there is a good chance he is, but the comments feel sharp against the backdrop of the uproar over Bellingham’s absence, the “nasty” misunderstanding and Bellingham being named England’s men’s player of the year for 2024-25.
Tuchel continued: “We are not trying to collect the most talented players, we are trying to build a team. It is the team that wins trophies, no one else. We try to collect the best players and build the best team of the best players, but in the end sometimes it’s not just about collecting the most talented players and hoping that things work out.”
“We are building a team that cares about each other, supports each other, and embraces hierarchy within the team. This will take us a long way.”
Whether the worry is about the impact of one or two bad apples on the team or the reaction of the media and fans to not selecting them, it is consuming Tuchel.
And his words will undoubtedly dominate Bellingham’s thinking. Bellingham would previously have been focused on success as England manager in 2026 after the disappointment of 2024, but he must now be plagued by doubts as to whether he will even be given that chance.
