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England manager Thomas Tuchel has warned Jude Bellingham that he is not guaranteed a starting role at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The dynamic Real Madrid playmaker is now among a handful of names in contention for the coveted number 10 role ahead of the tournament.
Bellingham has played in just four of England’s qualification matches, while Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, who is in competition for similar roles in the squad, played in all eight. The selection conundrum facing Tuchel ahead of the FIFA World Cup could see Bellingham play fewer games than expected.
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The German told reporters at England’s warm-up camp in Florida that he has not mentally settled on any attacking position just yet. When asked about Bellingham’s competition specifically, he admitted (via GOAL):
“Yes, he has. He is one of the starters, he knows he is one of the starters, but we have 14 or 15 potential starters. These roles can always change, but at the moment I think there are 14 or 15 proper starters and Jude is one of them.”
Bellingham replaced Rogers at half-time in England’s hard-fought 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand at the Raymond James Stadium on June 6. The latter also captained the side in the second half.
The Three Lions’ next test is against Costa Rica on June 10 at the Inter&Co Stadium. It will be their last warm-up match before they kick off their Group L campaign against Croatia on June 17.
Morgan Rogers leads the race for England’s No. 10 spot ahead of FIFA World Cup
Morgan Rogers’ ascendancy under Tuchel is precisely why Jude Bellingham’s place is no longer untouchable in this squad. The Villa man has been a mainstay in the head coach’s line-ups and provides a direct, powerful threat in attacking transition.
The 25-year-old netted 10 Premier League goals and supplied seven assists in 37 outings as Aston Villa went on to win the Europa League title. Crucially, he offers a different dynamic, able to run beyond Harry Kane and can take advantage when teams come on to England during the FIFA World Cup.
It is unfamiliar, uncomfortable territory for Bellingham after nearly half a decade of being the Three Lions’ automatic creative heartbeat. However, last season saw him stumble at club level, scoring just six goals in 28 games across the La Liga campaign. It also didn’t help that The Whites failed to win any titles, faltering after Carlo Ancelotti’s exit in the summer of 2025.
Edited by Nnanna Mba
