England boss Tuchel says Bellingham’s fiery edge must target opponents, not teammates or referees.
Thomas Tuchel has warned Jude Bellingham to focus his fire on England’s opponents, not his own teammates, as the head coach praised his star midfielder’s fierce intensity while acknowledging its darker edges.
The England boss opened up on managing the 21-year-old Real Madrid sensation, describing Bellingham as one of football’s “special” talents but admitting that his on-pitch aggression can at times spill over. According to Tuchel, even Bellingham’s own mother finds it difficult to watch his fiery displays.
“Jude has a certain something,” Tuchel told TalkSport. “He brings an edge, which we welcome and which is needed if we want to achieve big things. But the edge needs to be channelled towards the opponent, towards our goal, not to intimidate teammates or to be overaggressive towards referees.”
Tuchel emphasised that Bellingham’s passion is a double-edged sword. “He has the fire. I don’t want to dim this down. But the fire also comes with some attributes that can intimidate you. Maybe even as a teammate. You see sometimes the explosion towards referees and the anger in his game. If he can channel this in the right way and we can help him in this, then for sure, he has something that we need. He has a certain edge that is hard to find.”
The England manager offered a glimpse into how those closest to Bellingham view his displays. “He’s a nice kid, very open, very intelligent and very easy so far [to manage]. But I can see that it can create mixed emotions,” Tuchel said. “I see this with my parents, with my mum, that she sometimes cannot see the nice and well-educated and well-behaved guy that I see and the smile. If he smiles, he wins everyone. But sometimes you see the rage, the hunger, and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive — for example, for my mother when she sits in front of the TV.”
Despite the volatility, Tuchel made it clear that Bellingham remains central to England’s ambitions for next summer’s World Cup. He even hinted at new tactical roles for the midfielder. “From outside, I thought for many years that Jude could be a 6/8,” Tuchel explained. “Then he had this amazing season at Real Madrid playing like a false 9, scoring and creating chances. I see in him what I normally see only in strikers. At the moment, he’s moreof an 8/10 than a 6/8. Maybe a 10.”
Bellingham started as a No 10 during England’s 1-0 World Cup qualifying win against Andorra in Barcelona, and featured as a No 8 off the bench in the 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal in Nottingham.
Tuchel also touched on the possibility of Jude playing alongside his younger brother, Jobe Bellingham. The 19-year-old has just signed for Borussia Dortmund from Sunderland for £27 million. Jude has described playing for England with Jobe as “the biggest dream of my life … that would mean more than any of the trophies.” Tuchel added, “If you’re ready at that highest level, you can be selected. If he’s playing, then of course.”
Turning to his own future, Tuchel, who has signed on as England manager until the 2026 World Cup, suggested he could be tempted to extend his tenure through Euro 2028, which England will co-host.
“I will always be tempted to stay because I love the group and I love the opportunity,” Tuchel said. “It’s an honour to be the English head coach. I know what’s coming after – a huge tournament in England. If you ask me today, yes [I would stay on] because I feel that I’m in the right place.”
