Tuchel aims to tap into Bellingham’s ‘fiery’ spirit that can ‘intimidate his teammates’

England’s manager, Thomas Tuchel, is keen to harness Jude Bellingham’s “fire” to benefit the team, rather than allowing the Real Madrid talent to intimidate teammates or lash out at referees.

Tuchel experienced his first loss in four matches as England’s head coach on Tuesday when Senegal became the first African nation to defeat the Three Lions, claiming a 3-1 victory in a friendly encounter.

Bellingham believed he had equalised at 2-2 late in the match at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, only for the goal to be controversially ruled out, paving the way for Senegal to add a third in injury time.

After the match, Tuchel had to calm Bellingham’s protests regarding the disallowed goal, acknowledging the delicate balance of maintaining the 21-year-old’s competitive spirit without it spiralling out of control.

“He possesses a unique flair and brings an edge to the team. It’s essential for us if we aim to accomplish great things,” Tuchel remarked during an interview with talkSPORT.

“This energy needs to be directed towards the opposition and our objectives, rather than scaring teammates or displaying aggression towards officials; it must always be about winning.

“He has that fire—my intention is not to dampen it; he should utilise it as it is his greatest asset.

“However, this intensity can sometimes manifest in ways that might unsettle his teammates. We occasionally witness frustration aimed at referees and anger during games.

“If he can reroute that energy positively, he brings something invaluable, and that competitive edge is rare to find.”

Having secured the Champions League title with Chelsea and league championships with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, Tuchel was appointed with the goal of ending England’s long wait for a major tournament win since 1966.

Under Gareth Southgate, the team reached the finals in the last two UEFA European Championships, along with a quarter-final and semi-final appearance in the most recent World Cups.

Although Tuchel has a wealth of talent at his disposal, he has yet to discover the right combination in three lacklustre victories during World Cup qualifying against Albania, Latvia, and Andorra, prior to the defeat against Senegal.

“I already have a plan in mind,” he stated, with just a year remaining before the commencement of the 2026 World Cup.

“We tried some different approaches in the second camp; not everything was amiss, and there were some positives, but the two matches didn’t meet our standards.

“It provided valuable insights and clarity. Each game serves as a learning experience that assists us in shaping the team and identifying solutions.”