Phil Jones Shocks Football World: Reveals His Surprising Pick to Replace Bellingham in England's No. 10 Role
Ex-England centre-back Phil Jones has urged Thomas Tuchel to bench Jude Bellingham for the 2026 World Cup starting XI in six months, advocating for Morgan Rogers instead.
Bellingham was absent from England's September qualifiers due to shoulder surgery recovery, wasn't selected in October, and seemed displeased upon his November return.
The dynamic between Bellingham and Tuchel has appeared tense occasionally. The England boss issued an apology for labeling the Real Madrid midfielder's pitch conduct as "repulsive" in June, explaining he used the term accidentally and citing English as his second language.
However, Bellingham didn't feature in November's victory against Serbia and showed displeasure when withdrawn shortly before full-time versus Albania days later.
"I don't want to make more out of it but I stick to my words—'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who come in," Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it as a player."
The substitute who entered on that instance was Rogers, with Tuchel noting then that the Aston Villa forward "deserves to play for us." At domestic level, he has been crucial in Villa securing 10 victories from their previous 11 Premier League matches to join the championship conversation.
'I Can't Understand'—Jones Backs Rogers for Key World Cup Role
"He would be my number 10 in the World Cup," Jones told Sports Illustrated FC.
"I know it's an unpopular decision, and I know he probably won't because Jude Bellingham is at Real Madrid. Hopefully that doesn't influence it, but I'm doubling down on it.
"I think [Rogers] has been the player who I've enjoyed watching the most over the last six months. I've really, really enjoyed his performance. I love the way he plays, I love his character, I love the way he handles himself on the pitch," the former Manchester United defender added.
"He's athletic, he's fast, he's robust, he finds the net with both feet. I believe he's more physically imposing than Bellingham. I think currently he's netting more than Jude Bellingham. He's making a greater impact on matches than Jude Bellingham.
"Look, I admire Jude Bellingham. I'd sacrifice anything to have possessed his talent, so I'm not questioning that. But I simply adore how [Rogers] is performing right now. If he continues this form and, fingers crossed, stays fit, I cannot fathom how he wouldn't be in England's World Cup starting eleven. I simply cannot grasp it."
Rogers's England Record
At just 23 years old, Rogers joined the England setup as part of standard post-tournament adjustments following Euro 2024. He's made six starts, including four of the most recent five matches while Bellingham has been sidelined through injury or selection decisions.
Currently, Rogers, who has nearly 40 England caps across youth levels, possesses 12 senior international appearances. He has netted once and provided one assist.
With Cole Palmer struggling in 2025–26 due to fitness problems, Rogers appears to be Bellingham's primary rival for the attacking midfielder position, ahead of Eberechi Eze and Phil Foden.
READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, PREVIEWS & ANALYSIS HERE
