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England head coach Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged that his relationship with midfielder Jude Bellingham has been "up and down," though he remains optimistic that the turbulent phase is now behind them.
Early in his England tenure, Tuchel described Bellingham's conduct on the pitch as "repulsive." He swiftly walked back the comment, claiming it was an unfortunate word choice in his second language, but unease lingered and deepened when the Real Madrid midfielder was omitted from a squad in October 2025.
The friction eventually eased, and Bellingham went on to play a pivotal role for England at the 2026 World Cup, despite occasional glimpses of the tension between him and Tuchel. The situation came full circle when Tuchel encouraged Bellingham to keep displaying the very qualities that had initially caused friction between them.
"It was a bit of an up and down [relationship], of course, but we are in a good place," Tuchel said.
"I love to be his coach. He's a top player, a very influential player and I think it goes both ways. If Jude was not feeling comfortable he would not perform on that level.
"Right now you can see he's happy to come into camp, he's happy with the role he has, he's fully invested.
"I hope we have finished with the down. You never know as a coach!"
Tuchel Invites Second Bellingham to England Duty
Adding a positive dimension to Tuchel's bond with Bellingham was his recent choice to hand a maiden call-up to Jude's younger brother, known by his first name Jobe.
Jobe, 21, developed through the same Birmingham City academy as his sibling before making his mark at Sunderland, which earned him a high-profile transfer to another of Jude's former clubs, Borussia Dortmund, in the summer of 2025.
"Yeah Jude and I have spoken about his brother because I was aware it was always his dream to play with Jobe for England," Tuchel reflected.
"Jude was always saying, 'Watch him, watch him, he's good, he can make it.' I would say, 'Yeah we are watching him.'
"I think he actually came to watch training very early in my reign. He visited to observe his brother train. We had a chat and agreed it would be wonderful if one day he could join him.
"He was very kind and very polite and I'm glad to have him in camp. Everyone will draw comparisons and he has to live with that.
"They look alike, even in the way they move, but they are very different players. Jobe is more defensive-minded. I think their personalities differ too, at least from what I've been told.
"He couldn't stop smiling when I called to share the news. He has the same wonderful smile as Jude, so it's great to have him here."