Tuchel explains why he did not call up Bellingham to the England national team.

According to The Sun: The head coach of the England national team, Thomas Tuchel, explained why he did not call up Jude Bellingham to the national team. According to him, the Real Madrid star has not yet gained enough 'rhythm'.

The coach announced the list of players for upcoming matches against Wales and Latvia, surprising many with his selections. The absence of 22-year-old Bellingham, who recently returned from a shoulder injury, became one of the most discussed news.

alt='Jude Bellingham reacting during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifier match between Andorra and England.' class='alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-36903431' width='960' height='640' /> Getty

Tuchel noted that, although Bellingham played 70 minutes in the derby against Atletico, he hasn't completed a full match this season. The coach also mentioned that the player wanted to join the national team, but he felt it was not the right moment.

Tuchel's Position

At the press conference announcing the squad, Tuchel emphasized the importance of keeping most of the players who participated in previous matches against Andorra and Serbia, as this would help improve team spirit. “The last gathering was just three and a half weeks ago. Teamwork and spirit were at the highest level,” he said.

“Jude is a very special player, and for such players, special rules can apply, but for this gathering, we decided to stick to our decision to involve the same squad”

Tuchel also did not include Phil Foden and Jack Grealish in the team, although both had been performing well at the start of the season. However, he assured that there are no issues with the players excluded from the team.

Fan Reactions

Some fans were shocked by the decision not to call up Bellingham. Some commented: “This midfield looks terrible”, while others wrote: “No Jude. What a horror?”.

Bellingham, who underwent surgery for a shoulder dislocation in July, missed the season's start, but last season he scored 10 goals and provided just as many assists, becoming one of the key players for the national team.

alt='Illustration of the England football squad roster against Wales and Latvia, with the England, Wales, and Latvia national football team crests.' class='alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-36904133' width='556' height='960' /> Getty

England will play a friendly match against Wales at Wembley Stadium on October 9, and on October 14 will head to Latvia for a World Cup qualifying match.

Bellingham DROPPED from the squad

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JUDE BELLINGHAM - the biggest name missing from Thomas Tuchel's latest squad, writes Charlie Wyett.

Although he is returning from a shoulder injury, it is surprising that he was not included.

England plays against Wales next Thursday, and five days later heads to Latvia for a World Cup qualifying match.

The England team is confident about qualifying for the World Cup, but it is naïve to think the team is in good shape.

Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, and Ben White also hoped to make the squad but were excluded.

Tuchel seems to be creating extra burden on himself.