Jude Bellingham facing fight to get back in England team

Jude Bellingham facing fight to get back in England team
Jude Bellingham might have to wait to get back in the England team, with coach Thomas Tuchel saying Wednesday he is in no rush to change his system to accommodate the return of the Real Madrid star. (AFP/File)
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Jude Bellingham facing fight to get back in England team

Jude Bellingham facing fight to get back in England team
  • Bellingham is back in the squad after fully recovering from shoulder surgery
  • Tuchel sees him as a No. 10, placing him direct competition with Rogers

LONDON: Jude Bellingham might have to wait to get back in the England team, with coach Thomas Tuchel saying Wednesday he is in no rush to change his system to accommodate the return of the Real Madrid star.
Since Bellingham last played for England — in a 3-1 loss to Senegal in a friendly in June — Morgan Rogers has been installed in the No. 10 role and starred in recent 5-0 wins over Serbia and Latvia that helped to clinch a spot in next year’s World Cup.
Bellingham is back in the squad after fully recovering from shoulder surgery and Tuchel sees him as a No. 10, placing him direct competition with Rogers.
“They are friends so this can also be a friendly competition,” Tuchel said at a news conference ahead of England’s home game against Serbia in World Cup qualifying on Thursday. “You don’t have to be enemies, you 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 maybe it’s not the moment to change our structure.”
Working against Bellingham is the fact that he and Phil Foden, another attacking midfielder who has regained a place in the squad, haven’t taken part in a full training session so far this week, Tuchel said. That will happen later Wednesday.
England became the first European nation to qualify for the World Cup last month, so the pressure is off Tuchel and the team heading into upcoming games against Serbia and Albania that wrap up group play.
The German coach said he isn’t thinking ahead to next year’s tournament just yet.
“So much can happen,” he said. “Nobody wants injuries to happen but injuries can happen, players can pull out, drop in form, other players can come in form, so I’m very much open for the next months.
“That’s why I don’t feel the pressure, I don’t feel the World Cup urge at the moment.”


Sri Lanka cricketers leave Pakistan after bomb blast

Sri Lanka cricketers leave Pakistan after bomb blast
Updated 12 November 2025

Sri Lanka cricketers leave Pakistan after bomb blast

Sri Lanka cricketers leave Pakistan after bomb blast
  • Substitute players will be sent in to complete tri-nation series involving Zimbabwe, says Sri Lankan cricket source
  • Players expressed fear for safety following Tuesday’s suicide bombing in Islamabad that killed 12, injured 36

COLOMBO: At least eight Sri Lankan cricketers will return home without playing in their tri-nation white-ball cricket series against Pakistan and Zimbabwe due to security concerns, a Sri Lankan official said Wednesday.

The players have expressed fears for their safety following Tuesday’s suicide bombing in the Pakistani capital, which killed 12 and wounded 27 outside a court.

“The second ODI against Pakistan tomorrow is in doubt, but substitute players will be sent to continue the tri-nation series,” a Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) source told AFP.

SLC president Shammi Silva said that they were preparing a formal statement about continuing their participation in the tournament. He gave no further details.

Six Sri Lankan players were wounded in March 2009 when gunmen opened fire on their team bus as it was taking them to Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore for a Test match.

The incident led to international teams staying away from Pakistan for nearly a decade.

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six runs in the opening one-day international in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, a game that went ahead despite the suicide attack in the twin city of Islamabad.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said security around the visiting team had been increased following the attack.

The remaining matches are scheduled to take place on Thursday and Saturday, also in Rawalpindi.