England squad: Thomas Tuchel denies Jude Bellingham special treatment

Thomas Tuchel has excluded Jude Bellingham from his latest England squad, underscoring that even elite players must earn their place through performance.

Star status holds no sway

The 22-year-old Real Madrid midfielder, famous for his "who else?" celebration after scoring the extra-time overhead kick against Slovakia at Euro 2024, is not guaranteed selection under Tuchel. The coach has made it clear that reputation alone will not override form.

Form over fame

Bellingham has started just one match for Real Madrid since shoulder surgery and has featured three times as a substitute. Despite expressing his desire for a call-up, he was omitted from the squad set to face Wales in a friendly and travel to Latvia for a World Cup qualifier.

A squad built on merit

Buoyed by a 5-0 win in Serbia during the last World Cup qualifier, Tuchel is selecting from a deep pool and rewarding form and commitment. He warned there are "absolutely no guarantees" for any player, regardless of status.

Other notable omissions

Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, both in strong club form, were also left out, emphasizing Tuchel's focus on current performance and squad harmony.

Full England squad

• Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, James Trafford
• Defenders: Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, John Stones
• Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jordan Henderson, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers
• Forwards: Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Ollie Watkins

Tuchel has set a clear message: no player, however prominent, is exempt from selection based on merit and current form.

This topic was reported by BBC Sport.

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