Rooney backs Tuchel's culture reset after Bellingham reveals Euro 2024 disconnect

Wayne Rooney has backed Thomas Tuchel’s efforts to forge a tighter England squad after Jude Bellingham publicly acknowledged a lack of togetherness during Euro 2024, with the former England captain warning that internal discontent at major tournaments is almost inevitable.

Speaking on the BBC alongside presenter Gabby Logan, Rooney said Bellingham’s candid remarks confirmed what many had suspected — that Gareth Southgate’s much-publicised culture of unity had not fully translated on the pitch in Germany last summer. “For the last two tournaments we’ve thought that everything with the England team has been really close, and all the messages were coming out that it’s been a really close group,” Rooney said. “So maybe Thomas Tuchel has dug into that and seen that, and said ‘do you know what, I need a squad who are going to be connected and always together, whether we lose or draw’.”

Bellingham had made the admission on England’s Lions Den show, saying: “At the Euros, we got some things a little bit wrong off the pitch. I don’t feel like the group connected as well as it could have for a number of reasons.” The Real Madrid midfielder pointed to the weight of expectation as a contributing factor, noting that England entered the tournament as one of the favourites after strong showings at the 2018 World Cup and Qatar 2022, yet struggled to generate genuine momentum even when results were going their way.

Tuchel has moved quickly to address the issue since replacing Southgate, bringing in veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson and Newcastle United centre-back Dan Burn in a deliberate bid to restore leadership within the squad. The approach mirrors the club-style environment Tuchel has cultivated throughout his managerial career.

Rooney drew on his own experience with England’s so-called Golden Generation, recalling the persistent narrative at the 2006 World Cup that players from Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea were unable to set aside club rivalries — most notably the long-running debate over whether Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard could coexist in central midfield.

“To keep 26 players happy is almost impossible,” Rooney said. “I think you’re going to get someone who’s not going to be happy.” The acknowledgement underlines the scale of the task facing Tuchel as England build towards the 2026 World Cup, where the squad will again carry significant expectations.