JUDE BELLINGHAM turns 23 today — and his England team-mates have been ordered to keep on giving him presents.
Having become the youngest Three Lions player to reach a half-century of appearances six days ago, Bellingham will earn cap No 52 in the last-32 clash against DR Congo on Wednesday.
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Jude Bellingham turns 23 today Credit: Getty
Thomas Tuchel wants England players to help Jude Bellingham “shine” Credit: PA
Although he struggled in Tuesday’s goalless draw with Ghana, like everyone else, he played well — and scored — in the 4-2 win over Croatia and Saturday’s 2-0 victory against Panama.
It looks as though he will finally come of age at this World Cup to at least give some quality back-up to captain Harry Kane, who scored his 82nd England goal in New Jersey.
Yet manager Thomas Tuchel gave an intriguing and surprising answer when asked whether it is time for the other players in the team to step up in attacking areas.
Instead, he said it is their duty to make sure midfielder Bellingham is able to play even better.
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Tuchel, 52, said: “We had six players in the attacking area against Panama to break down a back five and ask a few more questions.
“If you look carefully, sometimes it’s just a run from someone else to open the space up for Jude so that he can shine. They work in units.
“If you see the chance in the first half where Jude is free and does the run into the box, we have a run from Nico O’Reilly who does this run to just take an opponent out.
“We have to work in patterns and we have to work in units to have a higher amount of attacking threat, to have a higher repetition.
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Bellingham notched his second goal of the tournament against Panama Credit: Reuters
“If we all just play freestyle, no one knows what the other one is thinking.
“So we want to play more in patterns and in units and I feel that we get the understanding better and better and better.
“And Jude is a part of it.
“It’s not only about patterns, it’s about the quality in the pattern.
“We want to be consistently finding players in these spaces, then they should take advantage and, of course, they take advantage with quality.
“And that’s basically what we need and what we demand.
“On a certain level, we want these guys in a key moment to show up.
“And I am convinced that Nico almost did it against Ghana. Harry did it. Jude did it.
“And I am sure Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka will do it when the time is there and we need that.”
Bellingham has definitely benefited from some tough Tuchel love.
Only now does he seem to be a certain starter for England — as ludicrous as that may sound.
Asked if Bellingham has produced a reaction after sometimes being on the bench in the last 18 months under Tuchel, the German admitted: “I’m not sure if it’s a reaction. But it is what we want from him.
“He was very positive from the first day in camp. He buys fully into all the things we demand as a team player and then brings his own individual quality to decide games.
“That’s what you see in World Cups now and what you see from other teams and other big players.
“We have it in him and he’s a key player. So, well done until now. He needs to keep going.”
Importantly, it does look as though Bellingham is enjoying his football, which was definitely not the case at Euro 2024 when he kept getting the hump with his team–mates.
His display in the win over Panama at a rainy MetLife Stadium saw him land his second consecutive Fifa player-of-the-match award.
The Real Madrid star looked back on the group stage and revealed: “We had the goal in mind before the start of the tournament that we wanted to take it in sections.
“We have achieved our first objective of wanting to win the group.
“This game was important because we want to be in control of our destiny, in terms of our route, where we play.
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“I know some people have already made plans. I have learnt that, playing in tournaments, it is important you try to craft your way through the tournament as best as possible and we have done that.”
Bellingham’s pal Rogers made his first World Cup start and the pair lined up in front of Anderson.
The Aston Villa star, 23, said: “I enjoyed it. It’s something you dream of as a little boy.
“I wanted to start the first two games but, luckily, I got my opportunity and we won.
“Jude was outstanding. He took the game by the scruff of the neck. We need to get Jude on the ball as much as possible. You can see the quality he brings to the team.
“When he’s on the ball or making tackles, he has such a big influence on our team and he gets us going and playing.”
