Overview
- Shearer said on Monday he would not start Jude Bellingham in England’s opener and prefers a midfield of Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice and Morgan Rogers.
- England’s 26‑man squad has flown to North America and will meet Croatia in the group opener on June 17, with Bellingham included in the traveling party.
- Shearer’s argument rests on getting the best from Harry Kane by supplying midfielders who run beyond him, a role he says Rogers and Anderson fulfil.
- The intervention also highlights selection pressure on creative players such as Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, who face uncertain playing time after uneven club seasons.
- The view is a high‑profile pundit call and not an official change; Thomas Tuchel has yet to name his starting XI and is expected to weigh form, balance and established partnerships before deciding.