Tuchel Praises Bellingham's Evolution: 'Gone Up a Level'

Thomas Tuchel has lauded Jude Bellingham's performance for England, asserting that the Real Madrid midfielder has progressed to a new level in recent months. Bellingham was instrumental in England's 7-0 victory over Croatia, scoring one goal and providing three assists, a feat that made him the first England midfielder since David Platt in 1993 to record four goal involvements in a single match.

Bellingham's impact extended beyond direct goal contributions, as he created eight chances and set up Bukayo Saka's first-half goal. Saka praised his teammate, calling him "special" and stating he was "happy to play with him and happy to have him in the England team."

Tuchel, reflecting on the match, acknowledged the unusual atmosphere of playing in front of a crowd of 6,000 schoolchildren and 100 away fans. However, he emphasized England's dominant performance, describing it as a "complete 90-minute performance" characterized by high speed, technical quality, and intensity off the ball. He believes such performances are crucial for overcoming past disappointments, like the World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina.

"At the moment it seems like [he has gone up a level] and you always need to," Tuchel said regarding Bellingham's development. "The level you showed last week is never enough, it's just the nature of football. It's like you can never stand still, it's like walking against an electric escalator. You have to develop and push for the next level. That is always necessary."

Former player Roy Keane had previously commented that Bellingham "can go on to become one of the greatest players of all time."