England manager Thomas Tuchel has justified why he did not include Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham in the squad this month by citing lack of match rhythm in the player. Although voters in England voted the 22-year-old as the Player of the Month in 2024-25, the player will miss the Welsh friendly and World Cup qualifier against Latvia away.
Tuchel stressed consistency as he selected the same team that had brought the win against Andorra and Serbia in September. There may be special rules, said Tuchel, to special players. But in this camp we made up our minds that we would remain with the same group.
Bellingham came back on shoulder surgery but has not played a complete 90 minutes with Real Madrid. Tuchel acknowledged that the midfielder is one of the best players in the world, but said that one player cannot rely on England. “It’s a team sport. We must have solutions that will work in the absence of influential players, he added.
The German coach also denied any personal conflict after speculation of a rift with Bellingham after harsh comments in June. He mentioned that he had made the same decision with Phil Foden and Jack Grealish who were also excluded despite doing well at home.
Among the squad changes is the reintroduction of Bukayo Saka, who has recovered following a hamstring injury. The Arsenal winger is returning with pace and creativity to the team, and Tuchel has lauded the continuity and spirit that was built in the previous camp.
England is on the brink of making it to the 2026 World Cup. A win at Latvia on October 14, combined with a draw between Serbia and Albania, would see them crowned Group K champions. Tuchel is making choices that indicate he wants some stability and is betting that having someone familiar will benefit England rather than rushing back star players who are still trying to find their form.
