This week, when Jude Bellingham was named England's Player of the Year, Thomas Tuchel might have let out a sigh.
When news of the award reached the recipient, people in Madrid might even have heard the exclamation: "Who else?!" He knows he’s excellent, and so do we—his achievements as a footballer are not the focus of this debate.
The question is whether a player with "leading man syndrome" can be a leader for everyone. Tuchel wants Bellingham to be part of the team, not to believe he is the team.
The German (Tuchel) is working hard to build a collective. There is no room in the team for self-centered, self-serving flashy players—especially those whose pushiness throws their teammates off track.
So what should Tuchel do? If he sticks with the 4-2-3-1 formation, the No. 10 role should go to Bellingham.
The head coach has questioned Bellingham’s positional discipline—part of his tendency to take on a leadership-style role—but the area alongside Harry Kane could grant him greater freedom, and perhaps even the potential to be a "savior"—as long as he saves the team rather than his own ego.
With Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice operating in the No. 6 and No. 8 roles respectively behind him, Bellingham could leave the heavier workload to this pair. Their complementarity is stronger than that of any midfield pairing in recent years—including the previous Bellingham + Rice combination.
If Tuchel’s prediction holds true, at next summer’s intense World Cup in North America, the ferocity of the games will be as thick as the humidity. The outcome of matches will likely hinge on timing—and Bellingham is perhaps England’s most skilled player when it comes to "seizing the moment".
This doesn’t mean he’ll emerge as a lone hero like he did at the 2024 European Championship, but it does mean he can be a key figure when the team needs inspiration. He can deliver lightning-like impact without being as emotionally volatile as a storm.
The World Cup is the head coach’s target; he won’t be tempted by awards tailored for a single individual. What he wants is a trophy lifted by the entire team.
