Jude Bellingham has called for unity and togetherness within the England squad as they prepare for the World Cup — days after manager Thomas Tuchel warned that nobody's place is safe.
The Real Madrid midfielder spoke out on the Lions' Den programme, saying everyone must feel valued if England are to end their trophy drought. The Three Lions haven't won the World Cup since 1966, and Bellingham knows the pain of coming close. At Euro 2024, England reached the final but lost to Spain.
“At the Euros we got some things a little bit off the pitch,” Bellingham said, according to BBC Sport. “I don’t feel like the group connected as well as it could have for a number of reasons.”
He pointed to expectation as a problem. “We had done well in 2018 and done well in Qatar and when it came to that tournament we were seen as one of two or three teams that should win it. We weren't playing particularly well so even when we were winning, you didn't get the feeling you were as happy as you should be.”
Now, Bellingham believes the atmosphere is better. “There has to be that element of relentlessness and wanting to win, but it's the nature of football that wins go out of the system quickly and we should hold on to that moment a little more. I think this time round, having those experiences, everyone's got to feel loved and feel a huge part of the team. The other thing is just to enjoy it.”
His comments come amid growing competition for places under Tuchel. The German coach took over after Gareth Southgate stepped down following Euro 2024. Under Southgate, Bellingham was an automatic starter — he played every minute of the Euros. But injuries and the emergence of Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers have changed things.
Tuchel has made it clear that reputations don't matter. Last week, he said: “He is one of the starters, he knows he is one of the starters, but we have 14 or 15 potential starters.” Bellingham has started only four matches since Tuchel took charge, and Rogers has become one of the coach's most trusted players.
England open their campaign against Croatia on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas. The tournament is being played across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Bellingham's message is clear: if the squad sticks together and enjoys the ride, they might finally bring the trophy home.