England manager Thomas Tuchel wants Jude Bellingham to be a little more disciplined

LONDON – England midfielder Jude Bellingham needs to be a bit more disciplined so that he can have the maximum impact when it counts most, said manager Thomas Tuchel ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Latvia.

Tuchel oversaw his first match in charge of the Three Lions when they kicked off their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign on March 21 with a 2-0 win over Albania at Wembley. It was the German’s first look at his players in action for England since being appointed in October and officially beginning his 18-month contract in January.

One of the things he has taken note of is the over-exuberance of his young but highly talented star, who has racked up impressive numbers and displays for both club and country.

The 21-year-old has bagged 11 goals for Real Madrid this season and has been directly involved in 11 goals (five goals, six assists) in his last 16 games for England. In total, he has six goals across 41 caps – the most ever won for the Three Lions while aged 21 or younger.

Bellingham, who set up debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly’s opener in the Group K victory over Albania, was also a key player in England’s run to the European Championship 2024 final in Germany, where they lost 2-1 to Spain.

Asked if Bellingham was trying to do too much at Euro 2024, Tuchel said: “Yes, he is always ready to give everything but we need to help him so that, within a structure, he can play more economically and still have the same impact, or maybe even more impact.

“We need to make sure that the leaders, and he is one of the leaders, and the main players, walk in the same direction and play in the same rhythm and help each other