England soccer star Jude Bellingham has a “hunger” and “rage” that can come across as “a bit repulsive,” according to manager Thomas Tuchel. In a new interview with British outlet TalkSport, Tuchel described Bellingham’s intense emotions on the pitch, which have been evident in his recent performances. Bellingham’s frustration was on full display during England’s 3-1 loss against Senegal, where he remonstrated with a fourth official and kicked a cooler box in anger.
Tuchel, who suffered his first loss as Three Lions boss with the defeat against Senegal, believes that Bellingham’s fire and passion are essential to his game. “He has the fire and I don’t want to dim this down,” Tuchel said. “He should play with this kind of fire. That’s his strength.” However, Tuchel acknowledged that Bellingham’s intense emotions can also intimidate some people, including teammates and fans.
The manager shared that even his own mother finds Bellingham’s behavior on the pitch to be “a bit repulsive” at times. “I see this with my parents, with my mom, that she sometimes cannot see the nice and well-educated and well-behaved guy that I see,” Tuchel said. “If he smiles, he wins everyone. But sometimes you see the rage, you see the hunger and the rage and the fire and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive – for example, for my mother, when she sits in front of the TV.”
Despite this, Tuchel believes that Bellingham’s unique edge and hunger are crucial to the team’s success. The 21-year-old has already made 44 appearances for England, scoring six goals and playing a key role in the team’s run to the final of last year’s European Championships. Bellingham has also had a successful club career, winning La Liga, Champions League, and Spanish Super Cup titles with Real Madrid.
Tuchel has been experimenting with Bellingham’s position in the England team, particularly after seeing his goalscoring form for Real Madrid. “I see (in him) what I normally see only in strikers,” Tuchel said. “I think now, at the moment, he’s more an eight or 10 than a six or eight. Maybe a 10.” Despite the team’s first loss against an African nation, the Three Lions remain top of their World Cup qualifying group with three wins from three.
