Tuchel says bond with Bellingham stronger than ever

England manager Thomas Tuchel has forcefully dismissed any suggestion of a rift with star midfielder Jude Bellingham, asserting their relationship is stronger than ever as the team prepares for a World Cup semifinal against Argentina on Wednesday, July16. The comments follow a public exchange after England's 2-1 extra-time quarterfinal victory over Norway on Saturday, July 11, which had placed the dynamic between coach and player under intense scrutiny.

Tuchel addressed the situation directly in an interview, attributing the perceived conflict to media framing. He explained that his post-match critique, which included calling some aspects of the performance "sloppy," was taken out of context from a broader assessment where he also praised Bellingham as "world class." The manager said he spoke to the squad the next day to clarify his remarks and that there are no lingering issues. "We come from the same place. We come from being competitive and I am a competitive coach," Tuchel said. "I think the question was unfair in this moment towards Jude because it cut all the compliments out of my assessment. What do you expect of a player that just gave everything? ... We are as close as...