Thomas Tuchel, the technical director of the England national team, denied the existence of any disagreement with Jude Bellingham, confirming that the relationship between them has become stronger than ever, accusing the media of inflating his statements following the match against Norway.
The England national team is preparing to face Argentina this evening in the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup, amid reports that spoke of tension in the relationship between Tuchel and Bellingham after the coach's criticisms of his team's performance following the victory over Norway.
Tuchel said: "I wonder who is raising these matters and inflating them? There is no disagreement within the team, and if there is any inflation, it is happening in the media."
The German coach explained, according to Marca newspaper, that he spoke with the players the day after the Norway match, after apologizing for his statements in which he confirmed that he was not satisfied with the performance, despite achieving the victory, pointing out that he was keen to clarify his position to everyone.
He added: "What can be expected from a player who played 120 minutes and gave everything he had, then his coach's statements are cut off and he is only told that the coach criticized him? Jude did not hear the full assessment that also included a lot of praise."
Tuchel stressed that some parties tried to create a non-existent crisis, saying: "Some are trying to stir up misunderstandings and divisions that do not exist. We all start from one goal, and I am a competitive coach and always demand the best from this team."
He concluded by saying: "Today we are more cohesive and united than ever, and the energy and mentality within the team were excellent during the past days, and we are ready to give our best against Argentina."
