It was the return that came with a rebuke. Jude Bellingham and Thomas Tuchel are reunited but, for the second time in a few months, the England manager found fault with the resident superstar’s behaviour. This time, at least, he did not deem him “repulsive”. But the hint was that he had been too selfish. The way his comeback ended prompted Tuchel to criticise him again.
If England, already qualified for the World Cup, had little to play for besides a perfect record they sustained with an imperfect performance, Bellingham had plenty to gain, or indeed lose. A first start for his country since June could not be pronounced an unqualified success: not when Tuchel deemed his reaction to being removed egotistical.
