Thomas Tuchel has apologised for calling Jude Bellingham's on-field behaviour 'repulsive' in a live interview last season, saying he used the word unintentionally and that it was a poor choice in his second language. The England head coach said he contacted Bellingham directly after the comments made headlines and hopes the matter is now resolved.
Tuchel's apology came as he named his squad for World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia, with first call-ups for Elliot Anderson and Djed Spence, and recalls for John Stones, Marcus Rashford and Jarrod Bowen. However, the focus was on absentees, including Bellingham (recovering from shoulder surgery), Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker, Curtis Jones and Jack Grealish.
Explaining Alexander-Arnold's omission, Tuchel said it was a 'competitive decision' based on form, with Reece James and Tino Livramento ahead of him. He added that Ben White might have been selected if not injured. Tuchel described a difficult phone call with Alexander-Arnold, who was 'very clear that he's desperate to come back and play for England'.
Tuchel also defended retaining Myles Lewis-Skelly despite the teenager losing his starting place at Arsenal, saying the team has a responsibility to support young players through dips in form. He stressed the need for collective sacrifice and clearer patterns of play as England prepare for a busy autumn schedule.
