Tuchel Looking to Tap into Bellingham’s ‘Fire’ to ‘Inspire Teammates’

England’s manager Thomas Tuchel is keen to tap into Jude Bellingham’s “fire” as an asset for his squad, rather than allowing the Real Madrid star to intimidate his teammates or lose his temper with officials.

On Tuesday, Tuchel experienced his first defeat in four matches at the helm of the England team, with Senegal marking a historic moment by becoming the first African nation to triumph over the Three Lions in a friendly, winning 3-1.

Bellingham appeared to have levelled the score at 2-2 late in the game at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, but his goal was controversially ruled out. Senegal capitalised on the decision, scoring a third goal during stoppage time.

Following the match, Tuchel had to advise Bellingham to temper his protests regarding the officiating, highlighting the importance of controlling the midfielder’s competitive spirit without it boiling over.

“He possesses a unique quality and adds a certain edge, which is essential if we aim to achieve great things,” Tuchel remarked in an interview with talkSPORT.

“We need to direct that energy towards our opponents and our objectives, instead of directing it towards intimidating teammates or exhibiting aggression towards referees. The focus must always be on winning.

“He has that fiery passion, and I don’t wish to stifle it; he should play with that intensity since it’s one of his greatest strengths.

“However, that fire can sometimes manifest in ways that unsettle his teammates. There are moments when his frustration is directed at referees and the anger can become evident in his play.

“If he manages to channel that effectively, he offers us something invaluable, and that kind of edge is rare to come by.”

Tuchel, who previously clinched the Champions League title with Chelsea and league trophies with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, has been brought in to finally guide England to a major tournament victory since 1966.

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

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

“I already have a vision of what steps to take next,” he said, reflecting on the year remaining until the 2026 World Cup commences.

“We conducted some experiments during the last camp; not everything was negative, and we discovered some positives, but the performances in those two matches fell short of expectations.

“It was a valuable learning experience that has provided us with clarity. Each game presents an opportunity for growth and helps us shape the team and identify solutions.”