Tuchel Doesn't See Bellingham in the Starting XI: Battle for the Shirt Heats Up in England Before the World Cup
England National Team manager Thomas Tuchel has clearly stated that Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham in his squad heading to the 2026 World Cup is not a starting XI guarantee. The relationship between the German manager and the 22-year-old midfielder has been on the agenda for a long time; the messages Tuchel gave in his last press conference have strengthened the possibility of Bellingham sitting in the reserve dressing room in the World Cup opening match to be played against Croatia on June 17. While Tuchel said there are 14-15 potential starting XI players among the 26 players in his squad, he defined Bellingham not as a guaranteed but only a competitive part of this group.