Jude Bellingham's Shocking Absence from England's September Squad Explained
Thomas Tuchel must manage England's forthcoming World Cup qualifying matches without one of his key players, as Jude Bellingham remains sidelined due to injury.
The Three Lions have begun their 'victory-focused' campaign under Tuchel's leadership, though the Champions League-winning manager has yet to fully persuade doubting supporters.
England maintain a perfect record of three wins from three World Cup qualifying fixtures, yet both displays and outcomes have not demonstrated a clear departure from the former management approach. In June, they secured an uninspiring 1–0 victory against modest Andorra before suffering a 3–1 home loss to Senegal.
Tuchel's team should comfortably handle the return match against Andorra this weekend, though a considerably more challenging test awaits. Victory in Belgrade next Tuesday would have the Football Association considering travel arrangements across the Atlantic for next summer's tournament.
Nevertheless, the Three Lions must achieve a positive result against Serbia while missing Bellingham, who is excluded from Tuchel's squad for this international window. Here's the explanation.
Why Jude Bellingham Isn't Playing for England in September World Cup Qualifiers
Bellingham's persistent injury stems from his outstanding debut campaign at Real Madrid. The dynamic midfielder suffered a left shoulder dislocation in November 2023 during a scoreless encounter with Rayo Vallecano.
He continued playing despite the discomfort as Madrid secured both La Liga and Champions League titles in 2023–24, but the problem persisted throughout a more disappointing 2024–25 season. The choice was ultimately made, following Los Blancos' domestic title loss to Barcelona and their European elimination by Arsenal, that Bellingham would finally receive surgical treatment.
The procedure was completed successfully in mid-July, following his return from the Club World Cup, and the midfielder has not appeared since the new season began.
Consequently, Tuchel could not select him for England's upcoming qualifying fixtures. Instead, the German has chosen Elliot Anderson for his debut call-up and unexpectedly recalled AC Milan's Ruben Loftus-Cheek after a seven-year international absence.
When Jude Bellingham Will Return From Injury
Real Madrid provided no official recovery timeline following Bellingham's successful surgery, though some Spanish media sources indicated he would be unavailable for approximately three months.
While a precise return date remains unclear, Bellingham is anticipated to make his comeback sometime in October. The England international will miss Madrid's packed September fixture list, including two Champions League matches against Marseille and Kairat Almaty, plus the Madrid derby in La Liga, but he'll be striving to return around next month's international period.
Madrid's No. 5 will be eager to be fit for the season's first Clásico, set for October 26.