Overview
- Pundits on Wednesday, led by Jamie Carragher, widely predicted Tuchel will start Morgan Rogers in the No.10 role and said leaving Bellingham out for the opener would send a clear message to the squad.
- Tuchel has kept Bellingham in his 26-man squad but has repeatedly said that no place is guaranteed and that there are “14 or 15 potential starters,” signalling genuine competition for the starting XI.
- Rogers has reinforced his case with consistent minutes in qualifying and strong club form this season while publicly defending Bellingham and saying the pair can play together.
- Bellingham’s season was disrupted by injury and he played only four qualifying games compared with Rogers’s eight, which has been central to the selection debate.
- The decision could dominate media coverage and affect squad dynamics during the tournament, with England due to fly to their Kansas City base before facing Croatia in Dallas on June 17.