​Jude Bellingham hit back at Thomas Tuchel’s damning critique of England’s display in their 2-1 World Cup quarter-final win over Norway, arguing for a more positive outlook as the team advances. The Real Madrid midfielder was outstanding, striking twice as England battled through scorching Miami heat to overturn a deficit and extend his tally to four man-of-the-match prizes across six matches.
Tuchel’s crew had endured a tougher route, needing extra time to secure a spot in the World Cup’s semi-finals, and the German coach admitted he was not satisfied with the performance. Bellingham did not retreat from the challenge, instead pushing back against the manager’s assessment while urging his teammates to stay upbeat.
“Maybe he doesn’t know what it’s like to play in those kinds of conditions against Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard, Antonio Nusa, Alexander Sorloth,” Bellingham said, highlighting the quality of the opposition. “That’s not an easy team to play against. So, I think we’ve tried to create a positive environment. We should continue that going into the final four. I can’t speak highly enough of the lads. You’re not going to win every game by just passing and building up play—sometimes you have to win dirty, and we’ve done that again tonight.”
When asked if he agreed with Tuchel’s claim that England had been fortunate, Bellingham offered a brief response: “No comment.”
Tuchel later clarified that there was no rift between him and his players. “Absolutely, no one disputes that. I am impressed with the shift that they put in,” he said, noting the intense heat and the effort, unity, and resilience shown by England as they overcame adversity to reach the last four. He added that while the performance had its positives, he believed the match had not been of the highest level and that there were better games to point to in general.
“We had a lot of momentum swings for both teams, so, yeah, full credit to the team. We found a way. We’re in the last four. This is, of course, the most important, but the analysing head of me and the football coach in me still thinks that we can and have to play better football,” he stated. He reinforced his connection with the players, insisting there was no disconnect, expressing pride and affection for the squad and their willingness to push for the next step.
Bellingham’s influence continued to loom large as he equalised with Harry Kane on six goals for the tournament, nearly single-handedly steering his side through with a second-straight brace. The 23-year-old’s remarks underscored his belief in maintaining a positive, forward-facing mindset as England prepare for the next challenge, while acknowledging that further improvements could be made to sharpen performances at the business end of the tournament.