Tuchel warns Bellingham must fight for England berth at World Cup

Thomas Tuchel has cautioned Jude Bellingham that the Real Madrid midfielder will need to compete for a spot in England's starting eleven at the World Cup.

Bellingham returns to Tuchel's team for the concluding World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania this week, following his absence from the previous international break in October.

The 22-year-old was recovering from shoulder surgery when Tuchel chose not to include him for the games versus Wales and Latvia last month, which gave Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers the opportunity to excel in the number 10 position for England.

Rogers' strong showings have given Tuchel an interesting challenge as he plans for the World Cup next year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

"Instead of forcing the top players into certain roles just to get them on the pitch, it might be wiser to place each in their optimal spot and foster rivalry," Tuchel explained to journalists on Wednesday when questioned about accommodating both players.

"Right now, the rivalry exists between these two. They are mates, so it is a positive contest.

"They do not need to be rivals or dislike one another. They show respect and compete for the identical role.

"Could they feature together? Certainly, but that would require a different formation, and this is not the time to alter our setup."

Bellingham's comeback follows Tuchel's earlier apology this season for stating that his mother viewed some of the midfielder's on-field behaviour as "repulsive".

The standards are clear

Tuchel, who brought back Phil Foden after his omission from the prior three England squads, stressed that both Bellingham and the Manchester City attacker appear content to rejoin the group.

However, he emphasised that England's solid results without Bellingham and Foden indicate no automatic return to the team.

"Having him (Bellingham) back has been positive. The mood has been excellent over the past couple of days, and all are glad to be here," Tuchel noted.

"Phil is always a pleasure to have around; he is a good person, and like Jude, he belongs in this group and enjoys being with everyone.

"I anticipate them integrating immediately. Why would it feel uncomfortable? We maintained high levels and expectations in their absence.

"We must uphold our own benchmarks and develop what we can. With them returning, it falls to them to add to this, which they are achieving. The expectations remain straightforward."

England topped Group K and clinched their World Cup qualification with a 5-0 victory over Latvia in October.

Tuchel has triumphed in seven of his eight outings, with six World Cup qualifiers yielding no goals conceded.

Following the home match against Serbia on Thursday and the away trip to Albania on Sunday, Tuchel faces just two friendlies in March before finalising his World Cup roster.

No matter the final squad composition for the event, the ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager is satisfied with the cohesion he has built in under a year at the helm.

"Our goal is to forge a solid connection, cultivate energy, form a team, and create a brotherhood that all wish to be part of, while establishing a competitive environment where everyone understands that stepping away at the wrong time could shut the door, as others stand ready to step in," he remarked.

"It is not presented as intimidation but positively. We are progressing well. All desired to join the camp. Everyone was eager to arrive.

"It is a self-sustaining energy, and that defines our current position."