"Yeah, well, whatever. Whatever." That was Jude Bellingham's reply to Thomas Tuchel's criticism, moments after his two goals had carried England into the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup. The Real Madrid midfielder settled the tie with Norway three minutes into extra time, taking his tally for the tournament to six.
While Tuchel branded the display loose, slow and littered with technical mistakes, Bellingham stood up for his teammates. He hinted, pointedly, that the manager might not grasp what it takes to face Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard in conditions like these. Out on the pitch, it was a proper scrap. "Sometimes you have to win dirty," he said.
Norway spent the night contesting the opener, a controversial one, and Tuchel spoke about luck — but for Bellingham only one thing counted. They won. The manager insists the link with his players remains intact. His star's demonstrative "No comment," though, points to a serious crack opening up in the dressing room.
