Jude Bellingham has revealed the disconnect between England’s players at Euro 2024, but he is sure it will be different at the World Cup.
England reached the final of Euro 2024, going down 2-1 to Spain in Berlin.
It turned out to be Gareth Southgate’s final tournament in charge of the Three Lions, who came under criticism for their pragmatic approach throughout their campaign.
Southgate built a unity in England’s squad, and established a connection with their fanbase, throughout his tenure, but Bellingham suggested that it was wearing thin at the Euros.
“At the Euros I think we got a few things wrong off the pitch, I don’t feel the group connected as well as it could have for a number of reasons,” he told the Lion’s Den.
“When it came to the tournament, we were seen as one of two or three teams that could win it.
“We weren’t playing well, which doesn’t help, so even when we were winning, we didn’t get the feeling that we were as happy as we should be.
“We weren’t playing well. I remember as a kid watching World Cups and Euros where we crashed out against teams we shouldn’t have gone out to and I remember thinking, ‘Wow, I’m about to be a part of one of those moments’. It shakes up the whole of English football.”
Thomas Tuchel wants to build a “brotherhood” as England aim to end their 60-year wait for a major trophy.
But Bellingham is not certain of his place in Tuchel’s starting XI for England’s opener against Croatia next week.
He is vying against Morgan Rogers for a spot behind Harry Kane.
“As a person, he is a top guy, he can get along with anyone, can have conversations with anyone,” Bellingham said of Rogers.
“He can be a bit loud. We have debates that turn into arguments a lot. But we get on like brothers, to be fair.
“The manager has made it very clear in a lot of the times where he has spoken that we are playing for the same position.
“I know that has eased up a bit more now that he sees me playing more positions and Morgs playing more positions, but I honestly have no ill feelings when he is playing and I’m not playing.”
Since winning their only World Cup in 1966, England have progressed past the quarter-finals on only two occasions: 1990 (fourth place) and 2018 (fourth place).
England were one of two European teams along with Norway to win 100% of their games in qualifying for the World Cup (8/8); they were also the only team from the UEFA section not to concede a single goal.