England manager Thomas Tuchel has spoken out strongly against Jude Bellingham following the Real Madrid star’s outburst of anger after being substituted in the final minutes of the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Albania.
Bellingham was making his first start for England since last June, and when he was replaced in the 84th minute by Morgan Rodgers, he gestured with his arms in a clear show of displeasure at Tuchel’s decision.
When asked about Bellingham’s reaction, the German coach responded firmly, saying, “I didn’t see it that way. I saw that he wasn’t happy, but we don’t want to make a big deal out of it right now. My words are clear: we’re talking about standards, about level, about mutual respect. We’re not going to change our decision just because someone gestured with their arms.”
Bellingham did not celebrate the second goal, which also angered Tuchel, who commented, “This is a bad impression. It should be about team spirit. What we’ve been doing in training camp is about group spirit.”
He added, “I have to look into it. I was happy with the goal, I spoke quickly with Rodgers, and I made sure everyone celebrated. I’ll check whether Bellingham celebrated with us or not.”
He concluded, “This isn’t the image we want to project. We feel everyone is committed and everyone accepts tough decisions, both before and during the match.”
It’s worth noting that Bellingham received a yellow card, meaning he will miss England’s first match in the 2026 World Cup due to suspension. This also angered Tuchel, especially after his comments before the Albania match about the need to learn from what happened to Cristiano Ronaldo against Ireland.
