England boss Tuchel makes things clear to Jude Bellingham after angry reaction to being subbed
England wrapped up a perfect UEFA 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 2–0 win over Albania on Sunday, but the spotlight shifted to Jude Bellingham, who appeared visibly upset after being substituted. Following the controversy, head coach Thomas Tuchel addressed the incident involving the Real Madrid star.
Already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, the Three Lions traveled to Tirana with Tuchel aiming to shape his ideal squad for the tournament. Leading by two goals through a Harry Kane brace, the German manager decided to replace Bellingham in the 84th minute with Morgan Rogers, a move that sparked an angry reaction from the Los Blancos star, who did not acknowledge Tuchel on his way to the bench.
Asked about the situation during an interview with ITS Sports, Tuchel addressed it directly: “Yeah he didn’t like it but no one likes it, but that’s how it is, Morgan didn’t like to be out and didn’t deserve to be out but that was the decision. Jude was also on a yellow card and I made the decision before the second goal and the decision stands.“
In the post-match press conference, the German coach was pressed on whether Bellingham’s reaction affected the standards he expects in the squad. “I didn’t see it that way. I have to review it. I saw he was not happy, I don’t want to make it bigger at the moment than it is. To a certain degree, if you have a player like Jude that is so competitive, they’ll never like it,” he stated.
Since taking over at the start of 2025, Tuchel has emphasized team structure over individual star power, an approach that has paid off. So far, he holds a record of nine wins and just one defeat (a 3–1 loss to Senegal) in ten matches with the Three Lions, a promising mark heading toward the World Cup.
With commitment and conduct central to his philosophy, Tuchel made his expectations clear when discussing the Bellingham situation: “My words stand, we are about standards, level and commitment to each other and respect to each other. We will not change our decision just because someone waves their arms.”
Another episode between Bellingham and Tuchel
Bellingham has emerged as one of the best players in the world and a key figure for both Real Madrid and the England national team. Still, his status as a star has not exempted him from past run-ins with Tuchel, including a previous incident.
During the August international break, Bellingham was left out of England’s squad after not fully recovering from a shoulder injury. This followed the defeat to Senegal in June, when the German manager described Bellingham’s on-field behavior as “repulsive,” a term he later had to walk back.
During that same August window, Tuchel ultimately apologized to Bellingham, clarifying his remarks: “I used this word unintentionally, just to make it very clear. There was no message. There was no hidden agenda. I fully understood and understand that it’s my responsibility that I created these headlines. I am sorry for the upset and I am sorry for the headlines I created.”