Jude Bellingham has sparked injury concerns after he was seen grabbing his shoulder twice during and after England's World Cup quarter-final victory over Norway. The 23-year-old scored both goals in the 2-1 win, but Spanish outlet Diario AS reported that he may have aggravated a previous shoulder problem.
Shoulder Issue Recurrence?
Bellingham missed Real Madrid's first four La Liga games of the 2025/26 season after undergoing a procedure on his shoulder last summer. The first sign of possible discomfort came during a hydration break, when an image circulated of Bellingham putting pressure on his shoulder while speaking with England manager Thomas Tuchel. After the final whistle, he was also seen stretching before approaching reporters in the mixed zone, where he later clutched at his shoulder blade.
Despite the concerns, Bellingham has shown no signs of the injury limiting his performance at the World Cup. He has scored six goals in the tournament so far, including a stunning brace against Norway that propelled England into the semi-finals.
Tuchel Bellingham Exchange
Bellingham's heroics on the pitch were overshadowed by a tense exchange with Tuchel during separate TV interviews. Tuchel described England's performance as "sloppy, lucky" and not good enough "in every sense." When told of these comments, Bellingham bit back, saying: "Yeah, well. Whatever, whatever. It's difficult out there. It's a tough shift. All the players are putting in a very tough shift. My thoughts and appreciation goes to the players who were out there and put in a great shift yet again."
He added: "Maybe he doesn't know what it is like to play in those kind of conditions against Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard, Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sorloth. That's not an easy team to play against."
World Cup Semi Final Ahead
Bellingham is arguably at his best when playing with edge and arrogance, and the incident is unlikely to cause a rift between him and Tuchel. England will face Argentina in the semi-finals after their extra-time victory over Switzerland. Bellingham will almost certainly be needed at his best if the Three Lions are to reach the World Cup final.
