Thomas Tuchel has cautioned that Jude Bellingham will need to fight for a place in England’s starting lineup at the 2026 World Cup.

Bellingham returns to Tuchel’s squad for England’s final World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania this week after missing the last international gathering in October. The 22-year-old had recently recovered from shoulder surgery, which led Tuchel to leave him out of the matches against Wales and Latvia, giving Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers a chance to impress in the number 10 role.

Rogers’ strong performances have presented Tuchel with a selection dilemma ahead of next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

“Rather than finding a position for the best players just to have them on the field, it’s better to put everyone in their best position and have a competition,” Tuchel said on Wednesday. “At the moment, the competition is between the two of them. They are friends, so it is a friendly competition. They don’t have to be enemies. They are respectful and fight for the same position. Can they play together? Yes, but in a different structure, and now is not the moment to change that structure.”

Bellingham’s return follows a controversial period earlier this season, when Tuchel apologised after claiming the midfielder’s mother found some of his on-field actions “repulsive.”

Clear Standards

Tuchel also recalled Phil Foden, who had been left out of England’s previous three squads, insisting both players are happy to be back in the fold. However, he emphasized that strong team performances in their absence mean neither is guaranteed an automatic place.

“It has been good to have Jude back. The atmosphere in the last two days has been excellent, and everyone is happy to be in camp,” Tuchel said. “It is always nice to have Phil around. Like Jude, he is part of this squad and happy to be together. I expect them to contribute immediately. We were maintaining high standards without them. Now they are back, and it’s their responsibility to help uphold those standards — and that is what they are doing.”

England, winners of Group K, secured their World Cup qualification with a 5-0 victory over Latvia in October. Tuchel has won seven of his eight matches in charge, including six qualifiers without conceding a goal.

After hosting Serbia on Thursday and travelling to Albania on Sunday, England will have only two friendlies remaining in March before Tuchel must name his World Cup squad.

Regardless of final selections, the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager is pleased with the unity he has fostered in under a year in charge.

“What we are trying to build is a strong bond, energy, a team, a brotherhood that everyone wants to join, and also a competitive environment where players know that if they underperform, someone else will take their place,” Tuchel said. “It’s not a threat — it’s about energy. Everyone wants to be part of this camp, and that energy feeds itself. Right now, this is the environment we are creating.”