Jude Bellingham is expected to start on the bench for England's World Cup qualifier against Serbia. Manager Thomas Tuchel indicated that while Bellingham's form has warranted his return to the squad, Morgan Rogers is set to continue in a midfield role that suits Bellingham better as a number 10. Rogers has been performing well in this position, even scoring his first international goal in a recent match.
Tuchel emphasized that his priority is to select players for their best positions to optimize team performance and achieve victory, rather than simply fitting talented individuals into the lineup without considering team balance. He views the competition between Bellingham and Rogers for this midfield spot as healthy, with both players being friends and respecting each other.
The manager also stated that while Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Phil Foden are individually talented, they cannot all play together in the current team structure. Tuchel is committed to making tough decisions based on what is best for the team's balance and chances of winning, even if it means players like Bellingham are left out of the starting XI. England has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup and is aiming to finish their qualifying campaign without conceding a goal.
