Two years ago, the idea of Jude Bellingham being left out of England's starting XI at the World Cup would have been unthinkable. The former Birmingham City prodigy had just finished his first season at Real Madrid after a £115 million move from Borussia Dortmund, scoring 23 goals as Los Blancos won La Liga and the Champions League.
Bellingham's Recent Struggles
However, the build-up to this summer has been less rosy. A season disrupted by injury and turmoil at the Bernabeu has hampered his preparation. Bellingham has started only four of England's eight World Cup qualifiers under Thomas Tuchel, partly due to injury but also because of the German manager's tactical preferences.
Morgan Rogers, meanwhile, started all eight qualifiers and has seemingly leapfrogged Bellingham in the pecking order. Yet with England's Group L opener against Croatia approaching, reports suggest Bellingham has done enough to reclaim his spot.
Childhood Friends, Professional Rivals
Bellingham and Rogers, childhood friends, now find themselves at the heart of England's most critical selection decision. Tuchel has encouraged their healthy rivalry within the squad.
Warm-Up Game Insights
England's warm-up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica, plus a behind-closed-doors game against Miami FC, offered clues. Tuchel praised Bellingham's off-the-ball work against Costa Rica, and the 22-year-old wore the captain's armband when Harry Kane was substituted. Despite a previous public disagreement between Bellingham and Tuchel over a substitution, there has been no tension during the US camp.
Rotation Is Key
With England potentially playing nine games across 5,000 miles in the group stage alone, rotation will be vital. Former Manchester City star Micah Richards believes Tuchel will use both players situationally.
"I think Tuchel will chop and change. It depends on the state of the game," Richards said. "If it's high intensity, go with Rogers. If you want to press high, I'd pick him and Anthony Gordon on the left. If England have more possession, play Bellingham with Marcus Rashford. They all offer different qualities."
No Untouchables
Tuchel has already made tough calls, leaving out Harry Maguire, Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden. Former England striker Emile Heskey warned that no player is safe. "Tuchel has shown everyone's position is up for grabs. Foden wasn't untouchable, Palmer wasn't. He goes by what he needs, not the noise."
Can They Play Together?
Some argue both could feature. Rogers can play on the left if Gordon or Rashford struggle, while Bellingham could drop deeper. Richards added, "It's not an either-or. They could play together. Bellingham can be a No10 or deeper with Rice or Anderson. Rogers presses brilliantly behind Kane, and Bellingham's runs into the box are superb. Rogers can play narrow from the left, so Bellingham could be the No10. It's a nice problem to have."
