How Jude Bellingham is excelling in advanced England role under Thomas Tuchel

One of the big talking points building up to the World Cup was around who Thomas Tuchel should play as his number 10.

Jude Bellingham, despite his outstanding ability, was questioned, with good friend Morgan Rogers being tipped by many to take his place.

As the Three Lions prepare to take on Norway in the quarter-finals, it feels daft that such a debate ever took place, as the Real Madrid midfielder has impressed as one of the players of the tournament.

While on paper his position has not changed, he is thriving in an attacking role under Tuchel as one of England's most potent weapons, but what has changed?

Mattia Ozbot / Stringer

There has been a narrative during this World Cup that England are overreliant on Harry Kane and Bellingham, and given what they have produced, that argument does have legs.

The midfielder has notched four goals and one assist already in North America, once again popping up when it matters, with his brace against Mexico his greatest moment in the famous white.

Four years ago, Bellingham was just 19, playing ahead of Declan Rice and Jordan Henderson, but there was a great onus on the Real Madrid man to carry the ball up the pitch from midfield.

In Qatar, he scored just one goal, registering only three shots on target as England exited in the quarter-finals to eventual finalists France.

Of course, Gareth Southgate's approach was more conservative, meaning that the number 10 could not get as high up the pitch, but that has all changed under Tuchel.

The numbers behind Bellingham's World Cup success

Bellingham had a point to prove ahead of this World Cup, with many doubting whether he should be given a starting berth, but he has proved his doubters wrong emphatically.

In the opening game against Croatia, the 23-year-old had six touches in the opposition box, scoring with a trademark charge into the box, and it was a sign of things to come.

Since then, he has produced an attacking masterclass, with more headed shots and a higher xG on target than any other attacking midfielder in the competition.

With Rice and Elliot Anderson scurrying to win the ball in the hub of midfield, Bellingham has been allowed to play in between the lines and pick up dangerous positions around Kane.

Indeed, the Stourbridge-born man has played the same number of games as he did in Qatar, and he has recorded more than double as many shots and triple the number of shots on target.

Norway should provide a sterner defensive test than Mexico, and arriving in the box should not be as simple for Bellingham, but as he has shown in this tournament, he only needs one moment to change a game.

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