England manager Thomas Tuchel has officially named his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has rightfully returned to the list.
The midfielder, who had missed England’s September squad due to injury, was surprisingly left out again in October despite being fully fit.
His consecutive absences from the national team raised eyebrows, prompting Tuchel to publicly clarify his decision at the time.
“He’s a special player, and for special players, there can always be special rules,” Tuchel had explained during an October press conference.
“Jude always deserves to be here. But he hadn’t yet regained full form at Real Madrid and hadn’t completed a full 90 minutes. Are we a better team with Jude? Yes, absolutely.”
Bellingham is in form
That situation has now completely changed. Over the past few weeks, Bellingham has rediscovered his rhythm and influence at Real Madrid, producing decisive performances in high-stakes fixtures.
Your #ThreeLions squad for the last time this year! 🦁
— England (@England) November 7, 2025
He scored against Juventus, netted and assisted against Barcelona, and impressed once again versus Valencia, playing the full 90 minutes in all these games.
Such consistency and impact have made his recall inevitable.
Bellingham’s presence injects not just quality but also leadership and composure into the England midfield, something Tuchel will count heavily on as the Three Lions prepare for their final two qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.
TAA misses out
However, not everyone received positive news. Trent Alexander-Arnold has once again been omitted from Tuchel’s selection, continuing a concerning trend for the right-back.
Despite his fine club form, the Real Madrid defender has struggled to convince the England manager, and his omission could prove costly.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, missing out on these final qualifying games may indicate that Alexander-Arnold has fallen out of Tuchel’s long-term plans altogether.