Gary Neville has voiced his support for England's Jude Bellingham after the midfielder publicly disagreed with manager Thomas Tuchel's assessment of their World Cup quarter-final victory over Norway.

England advanced to the semi-finals after Bellingham scored twice in extra time to secure a 2-1 win, overturning Andreas Schjelderup's initial goal. Despite the comeback, Tuchel described the performance as "sloppy, lucky" and insufficient in "every sense."

Bellingham, who has scored six goals in six World Cup matches, responded to Tuchel's comments, stating, "It's difficult out there. It's a tough shift. All the players are putting in a very tough shift." He added that Tuchel might not fully understand the challenges of playing in extreme heat against a formidable Norwegian side featuring players like Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard, Antonio Nusa, and Alexander Sorloth. Bellingham emphasized the team's need to "win dirty" at times and praised his teammates' efforts.

When questioned about Tuchel's "lucky" remark, Bellingham declined to comment. This exchange follows a period of reported tension between the player and manager, including an incident in June 2025 where Tuchel reportedly called Bellingham "a bit repulsive," a comment for which he later apologized.

Neville, a former England player and assistant manager, commended Bellingham for standing by his team. "I really liked it," Neville told Sky Sports. "I’m not a great believer in players not doing interviews, particularly when you’re the best players in the team. If you’re the star player, the guy that is going to win us games, I think you’re the guy who has to go and speak."

Neville highlighted Bellingham's consistent willingness to speak to the press, even after less convincing performances. He noted that Bellingham possesses the rare ability to "punch back at their manager" while demonstrating a fierce determination to succeed. Neville described Bellingham's overall influence in the tournament as "exceptional" and "of the highest level."

Neville also commented on the dynamic between players and management, suggesting that open communication, even when difficult, can be beneficial. He stated, "I have no problem with this kind of stuff. Sometimes it comes to a head, but it’s not a problem. Sometimes it’s better to be like that than have it the other way."