Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 17
Bellingham Set to Start for England at No. 10 in World Cup Opener as Tuchel Weighs 22-year-old
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 17

Bellingham Set to Start for England at No. 10 in World Cup Opener as Tuchel Weighs 22-year-old

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 17

Summary

  • Jude Bellingham is expected to get England's central attacking role against Croatia in Wednesday's Group L opener in Dallas, settling the main selection question before Thomas Tuchel's first World Cup match.
  • Tuchel appears to have chosen the 22-year-old Real Madrid midfielder over Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers after days of debate over who should fill England's No. 10 spot.
  • Declan Rice and Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson are expected to line up behind Bellingham in midfield as England build around him for the 21:00 BST kickoff.
  • The opener also pits England against Croatia captain Luka Modric, 40, setting up a marquee midfield matchup on the final day of Match Day 1.

Insights

With a £90m rival for his spot, is this Jude Bellingham's last chance to prove he is England's undisputed star?
Is Tuchel's 'tough love' a managerial masterstroke or a high-stakes gamble that could backfire for England?