Jude Bellingham was the best player on the pitch against Panama. A goal, an assist, and a performance in a deeper No. 8 role that put England on the more favourable side of the World Cup knockout draw. Not bad for someone Craig Hope of the Daily Mail wouldn't have taken to the tournament at all.
That contradiction sits at the heart of England's media coverage right now. The same voices who spent the past year labelling Bellingham a 'divisive soloist', a 'brand ambassador for petulance', and 'the elephant in the room' are now framing his brilliance as a problem — specifically, a problem for Thomas Tuchel. What does he do with Declan Rice now?
Probably plays him when fit. Morgan Rogers wasn't convincing against Panama. The midfield isn't set in stone. It isn't a crisis.
The U-turn nobody will admit to
Hope wrote in November that England could do without 'ridiculous, needless and harmful' behaviour — his description of Bellingham showing frustration at being substituted. He went further: 'If I were picking the squad tomorrow, I would remove that risk by removing Bellingham.' That was his actual position, in print, not long ago.
Between that piece and England's World Cup squad being named, Bellingham didn't play a single game for England. So the question nobody is asking Hope is: what exactly changed? What 'attitude' shift did Bellingham make that suddenly transformed him from a squad liability into the man England are building their entire tournament around?
There's no answer, because there was no change. Bellingham was always this player. The coverage was always the problem.
Henry Winter added to the noise by suggesting Tuchel 'seems more focused on stick than carrot' with Bellingham and that the player 'deserves more mature treatment by his manager.' This ignores that Tuchel called Bellingham 'special', 'very reliable', and 'always able to make the difference' across multiple press conferences this summer alone. The 'repulsive' comment Winter cites was made over a year ago, and Tuchel apologised — in private first, then unreservedly in public — having acknowledged he used the wrong word in his second language.
That it remains the only ammunition available to those pushing the 'Tuchel doesn't believe in Bellingham' narrative says everything.
What it means going forward
Bellingham playing as an 8 who shifts to a 10 in possession isn't a revolution — it's close to how he's played for most of his career. The suggestion that Tuchel needed to be 'emboldened' to ask a midfielder to play in midfield is the kind of framing that only makes sense if you've already decided Bellingham is a difficult character who needs careful handling.
He isn't. He's a 21-year-old carrying England's World Cup hopes, playing well enough to make every tactical question around him a genuine headache — in the best possible sense. England's odds of going deep in this tournament are tied directly to whether he keeps performing at this level.
An apology from those who spent a year tearing him down? Don't hold your breath. 'Main character energy' will have to do for now.
