Bellingham puts Tuchel in his place after England's World Cup semi-final qualification

Jude Bellingham saved England against Norway on Saturday night, then turned against his own manager. Author of a brace, the Real Madrid midfielder carried the Three Lions into the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup (2-1 a.e.t.), before responding bluntly to Thomas Tuchel’s criticism in a press conference.

Tuchel had not minced his words after the final whistle. “It was not a high-level match,” regretted the German manager, visibly dissatisfied with his team’s collective performance despite the qualification. Comments that clearly irritated his playmaker.

When asked first, Bellingham had tried to defuse the controversy with a smile: “It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter.” But a few minutes later, speaking to a British television channel, the tone changed. “Maybe he sees our potential, as you say… or maybe he simply doesn’t know what it’s like to play in these kinds of conditions against Haaland, Ødegaard, Nusa or Sørloth. It’s not an easy team to face,” he said, before concluding: “We don’t always win by moving the ball around and making a thousand passes. Sometimes you have to win by playing dirty. And that’s what we did tonight.”

With six goals in as many matches in this World Cup, Bellingham is establishing himself more than ever as the leader of the English national team — which makes Tuchel’s position all the more delicate. The two men have had tense relations since the start of the German coach’s tenure, who had even sidelined the midfielder from several international breaks before reinstating him at the heart of his system for the tournament.

England is in the semi-final, Bellingham continues to score, but the rift between the player and his manager is now public — and the worst of the tournament is still to come.