Micah Richards has insisted Jude Bellingham is England's best player and must start as the team's No. 10 at the World Cup, but Alan Shearer has backed Morgan Rogers for the role. The debate comes after England completed their warm-up matches, beating New Zealand and Costa Rica, with Bellingham starting as playmaker in the latter.
Richards, speaking on The Rest is Football, said: "In terms of big moments, Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid, Champions League winner – when England were down in other tournaments, he’s been the guy. He’s had the personality to step up in big moments." He added: "This is what frustrates me, we’ve got a genuine superstar in Jude Bellingham…it shouldn’t even be a debate. He’s the best player and he has to start."
Shearer, however, argued that Rogers, who has had his best season at Aston Villa, should be the chief playmaker. "I would go with Morgan Rogers," he said. "We’re going into a World Cup and we’re all pretty optimistic about how it’s going to go. We’re pretty happy with how England have gone lately and Morgan Rogers has played a huge part in that."
Despite their disagreement, Richards acknowledged the possibility of both players featuring together. "I understand the point about Morgan Rogers and I could potentially see both of them in the team at times. But as the main No. 10, there’s no doubt for me that it should be Jude Bellingham," he said.
England are set to begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia next week, with manager Thomas Tuchel expected to make a final decision on his starting XI.
