England manager Thomas Tuchel has indicated that Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham faces significant competition to secure a starting place in the upcoming World Cup. Tuchel described the 22-year-old as one of several strong contenders within a deep squad, highlighting the selection challenges ahead of the tournament. Bellingham featured in just four of England's qualifying matches, in contrast to Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, who played in all eight, underscoring the dilemma for Tuchel in the number 10 role.When questioned about Bellingham's fight for a spot in the starting line-up, Tuchel was unequivocal. "Yes, he has," the England boss told reporters. "He knows he is one of the starters, but we have 14 or 15 potential starters. These roles can always change, but at the moment I think there are 14 or 15 proper starters and Jude is one of them."Jude Bellingham will battle Morgan Rogers for England's No. 10 spot (Getty)England are currently preparing for their World Cup campaign in Florida, where they commenced their warm-up schedule with a 1-0 victory over New Zealand in Tampa on Saturday, with Harry Kane scoring the decisive goal. Bellingham captained the side for the first time during the second half of that match, as Tuchel rotated his squad in the hot and humid conditions. Despite the intense competition for places, Tuchel expressed encouragement regarding Bellingham's recent form following an injury."He looks good in training," the German manager said. "I think he is at the moment in a sweet spot because he has had his break and has the hunger to be back on the pitch." Thomas Tuchel says Bellingham has to fight to make England's starting XI (Getty)Tuchel has consistently emphasised squad depth and flexibility in the lead-up to the tournament, suggesting that numerous players are capable of starting, while others may be deployed to impact matches from the bench.While Tuchel did not confirm Bellingham's inclusion in the leadership group, he announced on Sunday that midfielder Declan Rice will serve as England's vice-captain during the World Cup. England are set to face Costa Rica in a friendly on Wednesday before kicking off their World Cup campaign against Croatia on 17 June in Dallas.