Jude Bellingham’s recent England struggles have been well documented and the Real Madrid star has suffered another setback with the national team after being benched for Thursday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Serbia.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has not always seen eye-to-eye with the midfielder since the German’s appointment at the beginning of the calendar year, with Bellingham having played just four times for the Three Lions in 2025.
Tuchel wrote headlines after labelling Bellingham’s on-field behaviour as “repulsive” back in June, later apologising and insisting he used the word in error in a second language. The 22-year-old missed the September international break after undergoing shoulder surgery and was then omitted for the October break due to a lack of match fitness.
November marks his return to the squad, but the Madrid dynamo is among the substitutes for the clash with Serbia despite England having already qualified for next summer’s World Cup.
Why Jude Bellingham Is on the Bench Against Serbia
Tuchel has opted against mass rotation for England’s final two World Cup qualifiers, with the 52-year-old fielding a strong lineup against Serbia. Bellingham, however, has missed out on a place in the team and once again been replaced by Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.
Rogers has started England’s last three matches, including September’s 5–0 demolition of Serbia, and Tuchel admitted prior to Thursday’s fixture that the Villa attacking midfielder could not feature alongside Bellingham in England’s current system.
“Rather than finding the best players a position to just have them on the field, it’s maybe better to put everyone in their best position and have a competition. At the moment, the competition is between the two of them [Bellingham and Rogers],” revealed the England boss.
“They are friends so it can also be a friendly competition. They don’t have to be enemies. They don’t have to hate each other. They are respectful. They are friends with each other and they fight at the moment for the same position.
“Can they play together? Yes, but in a different structure and at the moment it’s not the moment to change our structure.”
Tuchel also admitted that three of England’s leading stars, Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane, could not all feature in the same starting lineup, another statement that indicates Bellingham’s place in the XI is under serious threat ahead of the World Cup.
“At the moment, if we keep the structure, they [Bellingham, Foden and Kane] cannot play [together],” added Tuchel. “They can, but not in the structure. Not for the balance that we developed, and not for structure that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, ten and nine.”
2025–26: Jude Bellingham vs. Morgan Rogers
Bellingham and Rogers have both regularly showcased their versatility for club and country, but their preferred position is clear: attacking midfield. Both players operate best as No.10s, but only one such role exists in Tuchel’s current system.
Bellingham is almost certainly England’s long-term attacking midfielder—although he does face stiff competition from Rogers, as well as the likes of Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze—but a stuttering start to the campaign has opened the door for Rogers right now.
Madrid have only been able to call upon Bellingham in 11 matches this season due to an extended injury absence that sidelined him until early September, with just five starts in La Liga to his name. A lack of rhythm has certainly impacted his international minutes under Tuchel.
However, Bellingham has still impressed for Los Blancos in bursts. He has three goals and an assist under his belt this season, with all of those coming in just his last five matches for the club. He’s slowly rediscovering his best form.
Rogers, meanwhile, has been an ever-present for Villa. He’s provided a goal and three assists in 16 total appearances, and he managed a further two goal contributions for England over the past two international breaks. There is no denying his quality.
While it’s likely that Bellingham returns to the starting lineup sooner rather than later for the Three Lions, few can argue against Rogers’ inclusion given his eye-catching performances for Villa over the past year.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Jude Bellingham Is on the Bench for England vs. Serbia.
