When you’ve got the kind of talent Bellingham has lightning timing, magnetic movement, the ability to change a game in a blink it still won’t cut it unless you back it up with the right mindset. That’s the message heading into England’s final qualifier in Tirana.
The scene
In the 2-0 win over the Albania national football team, England locked in a perfect qualifying campaign eight wins from eight, no goals conceded. Tuchel was pleased with the collective organisation.
Bellingham started, worked hard, showed glimpses of the brilliance we expect, but then when his number was called in the 84th minute he didn’t exactly tip his cap and walk off. He “flung his arms in the air” on the touchline.
And Tuchel wasn’t thrilled. He made it clear: “Behaviour is key … decisions are made and you have to accept it as a player.”
Why this matters
- At 22, Bellingham is already world-class in the making, but heading into a major tournament he’s not just competing with the opposition he’s competing with the sum of experience, attitude, discipline.
- Tuchel wants identity. He wants a team where every role is clear, every substitution accepted, every player who comes off cheering the man who replaces him. One moment of public frustration threatens that.
- The broader context is interesting: the squad isn’t just about Bellingham anymore. As an astute piece called England’s Midfield Chess Move: Clarity, Returnees & the No.10 Quandary points out, Bellingham’s recall sits alongside others like Phil Foden, and there’s a genuine battle for the No. 10 / central playmaker slot.
The angle every football-geek should feel
Imagine this: Bellingham bursting into the box, eyes flashing, rollers of expectation behind him. But then that flicker of resentment when he’s walked off the stage early. Two versions of a great player in one half-moment.
Tuchel’s watching not just what you do but how you respond when you’re not doing it anymore.
And England fans we want the version that embraces both the brilliance and the team‐code. Because when that clicks, you might just unlock something special.
The verdict
Bellingham’s talent? Off the charts.
His future with England under Tuchel? Radically promising. What he needs to fix? His reactions when he’s not the star. The greatest players are sometimes the ones who accept the bench with a nod and a fire in their eyes for when they get back in.
Cut the nonsense and you’ll go from prodigy to legend. And England will be better for it.
