England manager Thomas Tuchel has clarified that he has “no problem” with Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, or Jack Grealish after all three stars were left out of his squad for the upcoming fixtures against Wales and Latvia.
Bellingham Misses Out Despite Full Recovery
Tuchel revealed that Bellingham, 22, had expressed his desire to be included and even spoke to him directly on the phone. However, despite returning from a shoulder injury and making his comeback at Real Madrid, the midfielder has not yet completed a full 90 minutes since regaining fitness.
“He is a special player, and for special players there can always be special rules,” Tuchel admitted. “Jude always deserves to be here. But he has not quite gathered his rhythm again at Real Madrid.”
Tuchel stressed that leaving Bellingham out was not personal, adding: “No, there is no problem with Jude. And there is also no problem with Phil Foden or Jack Grealish either.”
Foden and Grealish Also Left Out
Despite Foden’s strong form for Manchester City and Grealish’s improving displays at Everton, neither player has been recalled. Tuchel explained that he wanted to keep the same group that produced a statement 5-0 win over Serbia in Belgrade last month, England’s best performance since he took charge.
“Phil is back influencing and deciding games. Jack is very close to being back to the best version of himself,” Tuchel said. “But the teamwork and spirit were at the highest level in the last camp. That is why we decided to invite the same group.”
Bukayo Saka Returns as Only Change
The only adjustment to last month’s squad is Bukayo Saka replacing the injured Noni Madueke. Both Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jarell Quansah retain their spots after being late call-ups last time due to injuries in the squad.
Tuchel emphasized that “there are absolutely no guarantees” for any player, saying that maintaining balance and consistency is essential:
“Are we a better team with Jude? Yes. But what happens if Jude is injured before the World Cup? Do we just cancel?”
England’s Path to Qualification
England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday before traveling to Riga to meet Latvia in a World Cup qualifier on 14 October. A victory there would leave the Three Lions needing just two points from their final two qualifiers—against Serbia and Albania in November—to book their place at next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Tuchel made clear he is focused on building continuity: “The last camp was only three and a half weeks ago. The teamwork and spirit were at the highest level. That is why we decided to invite the same group to this camp.”
This story was first reported by BBC Sport. Read the full article here.
