Jude Bellingham insists England manager Thomas Tuchel 'maybe doesn't know' what he's talking about in a perplexed interview after the World Cup quarter-final win over Norway.The Three Lions needed extra-time - and two Bellingham goals - to get past Erling Haaland's Norway and set up a semi-final against Lionel Messi and Argentina to come on Wednesday night.Tuchel branded his players 'lucky' in a searingly-honest ITV post-match interview - but Bellingham took an opposing view. At first England's matchwinner tried to dodge the topic pitchside, saying: 'Yeah, well, whatever.'But he went deeper on the issue in the post-match mixed zone interviews. He suggested German manager Tuchel, who retired as a footballer at just 25 due to injury and ended up working as a bartender before his coaching career, 'doesn't know what it's like' in top-level matches. 'What do you think about the statement from your boss?' Bellingham was asked, initially replying: 'No comment.'Jude Bellingham and Thomas Tuchel saw England's win over Norway very differently Bellingham suggested Tuchel 'doesn't know what it's like' after a brutal post-match commentBut when pressed, he then added: 'Maybe he doesn't know what it's like to play in those kind of conditions against Erling Haaland, (Martin) Odegaard, (Antonio) Nusa, (Alexander) Sorloth. That's not an easy team to play against.'I think we've tried to create a positive environment and we should continue that going into the final four. I couldn't speak highly enough of the lads. You're not going to win every game popping the ball and making a thousand passes, sometimes you have to win dirty and we did that again tonight.'England were playing in intense heat in Miami, with 'real feel' temperatures pitchside over 40C. In the separate pitchside interview Bellingham had been dismissive of Tuchel's comments, saying: 'Yeah, well, whatever.'It's tough out there, it's difficult. All the players are putting in a very tough shift. So all my thoughts and appreciation goes to the players who were out there who put in a great shift.'Tuchel is getting the best out of Real Madrid midfielder Bellingham at this World Cup. He has six goals, level with captain Harry Kane and just behind Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland in the tournament's top-goalscorer race, the Golden Boot.But their relationship has not always been smooth. In August, Tuchel apologised for calling Bellingham's on-field behaviour 'repulsive'. The manager said the word was used 'unintentionally'.He had said: 'If [Bellingham] smiles, he wins everyone. But sometimes you see the rage, the hunger and the fire and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive, for example, for my mother when she sits in front of the TV.' Bellingham, 23, was a high-profile omission from Tuchel's squads at the end of last year, missing England's matches in October. Bellingham wanted more credit for his team-mates after beating Erling Haaland's NorwayHis place in the England starting XI was under question coming into this World Cup but he has started every game and been the catalyst for the Three Lions's progress to the semi-finals.Tuchel laughed off claims of a rift last night. 'There is no disconnect from me to my team, no, not one per cent,' he added. 'I'm full with my heart and I’m fully in love with my players and my team and the way they perform.'He tried to play peacemaker, saying: 'No one suggests that I'm not impressed with the shift that they put in, the effort, the spirit, the belief.'
Jude Bellingham attacks manager Thomas Tuchel's England interview
Jude Bellingham insists England manager Thomas Tuchel 'maybe doesn't know' what he's talking about in a perplexed interview after the World Cup quarter-final win over Norway.










