With the World Cup just days away, England manager Thomas Tuchel has a selection headache that involves one of the country's biggest stars: Jude Bellingham. The Real Madrid midfielder, a regular starter at Euro 2024, now faces a fight to be in the starting XI under Tuchel, who has preferred Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers in recent matches. At the same time, concerns are mounting over England's over-reliance on captain Harry Kane for goals, while Arsenal's Declan Rice has been confirmed as the team's vice-captain for the tournament.
England's squad is packed with talent, but Tuchel has admitted there are "14 or 15 potential starters". Bellingham, 22, has started only four of Tuchel's 13 matches in charge, with three further appearances off the bench. His relationship with the manager has been under scrutiny after Tuchel described his on-field behaviour during a defeat by Senegal as "repulsive" — a remark he later apologised for. In November, Tuchel said he would "review" Bellingham's behaviour after his reaction to being substituted against Albania. However, Bellingham impressed in the recent 1-0 warm-up win over New Zealand, taking the captain's armband after coming on at half-time. Tuchel noted Bellingham has hit a "sweet spot", coming back from injury fresh and full of energy.
“Explains Jude Bellingham's selection battle, Harry Kane's goal reliance, and key England World Cup issues.”
The reliance on Harry Kane is another key issue. Kane is England's record scorer with 79 goals in 113 caps, and now has 12 more goals than the rest of the squad combined. He finished the season with Bayern Munich with 61 goals in all competitions. Other forwards have far fewer: Ollie Watkins has six goals in 21 caps, Ivan Toney just one in eight, Marcus Rashford 18 in 71, and Bukayo Saka 14 in 38. Tuchel admitted after the New Zealand match that finishing was not good enough, but said he is not concerned, believing England will create more space against teams that attack. He also plans to focus on set-pieces, which have become a key source of goals in the Premier League.
For UK readers, these issues matter because England's World Cup hopes could hinge on how Tuchel manages his squad depth and whether Kane's supporting cast can step up. The tournament kicks off on June 17 against Croatia, and every decision Tuchel makes will be scrutinised by millions of fans back home.
Q: Why is Jude Bellingham not guaranteed a starting place for England? Tuchel has said there are up to 15 potential starters in his squad, and Bellingham has face competition from Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, who featured in all eight World Cup qualifiers and 12 of Tuchel's 13 matches. Bellingham has also missed games through injury and had his behaviour criticised by the manager.
Q: How reliant is England on Harry Kane for goals? Kane has 79 goals for England — 12 more than the rest of the squad combined. No other forward has more than 18 international goals. Tuchel acknowledged the numbers are a concern but said he is not worried, and expects better finishing when England face opponents who don't sit deep.
Q: Who is England's vice-captain for the World Cup? Arsenal's Declan Rice has been confirmed as the vice-captain, serving as Harry Kane's understudy for the tournament.
What happens next: England play their first World Cup group match against Croatia on June 17. Tuchel will finalise his starting XI in the coming days, with set-piece training a key focus. The tournament will test whether Tuchel's faith in his squad depth and Kane's prolific form can deliver success.