England midfielder Jude Bellingham
England coach Thomas Tuchel has said Jude Bellingham will have to fight for his place in England’s starting XI at the World Cup, insisting the squad now contains “14 or 15 potential starters” across all positions.
Bellingham, who was a central figure for England at Euro 2024, has seen a more irregular role since Tuchel took charge in January 2025. The Real Madrid midfielder has started just four matches under the new manager and made three further appearances from the bench, with injuries and fitness issues affecting his availability during parts of the campaign.
Tuchel stressed that Bellingham remains firmly in his plans but made clear that no player is guaranteed a place.
As reported by BBC Sport on Monday, the England gaffer was quoted as saying, “Yes, he has a fight on his hands,” Tuchel said when asked about the midfielder’s starting prospects. “He is one of the starters, he knows he is one of the starters, but we have 14 or 15 potential starters.”
