Tuchel urges Bellingham to play with ‘rage’

Thomas Tuchel has encouraged Jude Bellingham to play with "a bit of rage" following England's 3-2 defeat to Spain in a Nations League match at Wembley on Saturday. The Real Madrid midfielder was involved in a heated exchange with his teammate Marc Cucurella after Cucurella won a challenge on Bellingham. In response, Bellingham set up Anthony Gordon's goal for England.

Initially critical of Bellingham's volatile on-field behavior, Tuchel now believes that the aggressive style suits the 23-year-old. "He likes that," Tuchel commented. "He gets better if that happens. It's better if he plays with a bit of rage. It's what he does. I think sometimes he is looking for these moments to get his fire going."

When questioned about Bellingham's feud with Cucurella, Tuchel revealed that the midfielder doesn't seem to treat his national team teammates as friends during games. "He doesn't know any team-mates when he is in the national team," Tuchel said. "He wants to win. He doesn't know any team-mates. He is still friends with them, but not for the 90 minutes. It's the only style he can play, that's just his game."

Tuchel is keen to have Bellingham start in the upcoming Nations League matches in Czechia on Tuesday. However, he is concerned about the potential for Bellingham to exhaust himself given the hectic season with Real Madrid. "I would love to have him four times on the pitch," Tuchel stated. "The concern is that he hasn't done it this season in this tight period. We will need to check with the physios. We will not put Jude in any risk. But in terms of style, it's just how he plays."