London: England manager Thomas Tuchel has defended Jude Bellingham’s passionate on-field demeanor. The Real Madrid midfielder drew criticism following England’s 3-1 loss to Senegal in a friendly at the City Ground.
In an interview with Talksport, Tuchel revealed that even his mother finds Bellingham’s behavior “repulsive” sometimes, particularly in his reactions to refereeing decisions. The 21-year-old showed visible frustration when his second-half goal was disallowed by VAR with England trailing 2-1.
Tuchel, however, believes Bellingham’s intensity is essential to the team’s success and insists it’s something to be refined, not erased. “He has the fire, and I don’t want to dim this down,” said Tuchel, noting the importance of channeling Bellingham’s energy toward winning rather than letting it negatively affect teammates or officials.
Describing him as intelligent, open, and easy to manage, Tuchel dismissed suggestions that England might be better without him, stating critics don’t understand what the young midfielder brings to the team.
“He’s a special boy,” he said. Tuchel acknowledged that Bellingham’s edge can be polarizing, even for viewers like his mother, but views it as a valuable asset if appropriately harnessed. Looking at the bigger picture, Tuchel emphasized that building the right chemistry in the squad remains a work in progress.
While his side won their first three World Cup qualifiers without conceding a goal, the recent camp exposed a lack of consistent enthusiasm and cohesion. With matches against Andorra and Serbia set for September, Tuchel stressed the need for individual players to sacrifice personal roles for the collective success as England heads into a competitive World Cup year.
