METLIFE STADIUM — On his day, there is nobody like Jude Bellingham. He is such an intricate talent, however, that unlocking his true potential is a challenge that can twist the greatest footballing minds into knots.
He has all the physical attributes to be a devastating No 10. His tactical awareness and in-game intelligence make him the perfect foil for a juggernaut of a goalscorer like Harry Kane too.
For England especially, Bellingham can drift in and out of the game all too readily as a staccato shadow striker. It has become the leitmotif of Thomas Tuchel’s England reign so far.
To his credit, Tuchel has failed to succumb to a problem that has stumped others who came before. His decision to move Bellingham deeper alongside Elliot Anderson against Panama, with Morgan Rogers playing off Harry Kane, was certainly a bold one.
It is not a system that the dogmatic German would perhaps deploy against elite opposition – effectively a front five – but Bellingham’s all-action, high-octane display – with one goal and sublime assist to fire England to top spot in the group – provided a potential answer to the quandary managers often find themselves in over the Real Madrid star.
