Soccer Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group K - Albania v England - Air Albania Stadium, Tirana, Albania - November 16, 2025 England manager Thomas Tuchel talks to Jude Bellingham REUTERS/Florion Goga
TIRANA (Reuters) -England head coach Thomas Tuchel played down Jude Bellingham's angry reaction to being substituted near the end of the 2-0 win in Albania on Sunday but it would not have gone unnoticed.
Real Madrid's Bellingham, given his first start since June after missing the last two camps, was clearly not happy at being replaced by Morgan Rogers, the player who is vying with Bellingham for the number 10 role.
It was a frustrating night for Bellingham, who missed a couple of chances and picked up a yellow card and was also criticised on social media by England fans for swapping his shirt at halftime with an Albanian player.
"Yeah he didn't like it but no-one likes it," Tuchel said. "But that's how it is, Morgan (Rogers) didn't like to be out and didn't deserve to be out but that was the decision.
"Jude was also on a yellow card and I made the decision before the second goal and the decision stands."
Asked whether Bellingham's reaction was at odds with Tuchel's mantra of squad cohesion, he said: "I didn't see it that way. I have to review it. I saw he was not happy, I don't want to make it bigger at the moment than it is.
"To a certain degree, if you have a player like Jude that is so competitive that never likes it.
"My words stand, we are about standards, level and commitment to each other and respect to each other. We will not change our decision just because someone waves their arms."
Bellingham's exclusion from the last camp in particular was a surprise call by Tuchel who has made it clear that there are no favourites in his squad.
The 22-year-old's early-season injury problems appear behind him though and the debate about whether or not he should be a certain starter at the World Cup will rumble on.
Former England forward Ian Wright said his reaction was actually a good sign.
"Albania made it quite tough, so you have to try and do things and you're going to lose the ball," Wright told ITV Sport. "You have to play how you believe you should be playing. That's what I like with Jude. He will continue to do that (demand the ball) and that's what you need.
"You have to be brave."
(Reporting by Martyn HermanEditing by Toby Davis)
