Jude Bellingham has all the makings of a permanent England captain, according to manager Thomas Tuchel, who backed the 23-year-old after a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic. The Real Madrid midfielder replaced skipper Harry Kane in the 71st minute in Prague and took over the armband. "If you are the captain at the end of these matches, you can for sure be the permanent captain," Tuchel said when asked about the young star's leadership qualities.
The manager's faith in the player could hardly be higher. Tuchel explained that he and the midfielder had agreed 30 minutes would be enough, a call made purely to manage his workload. Bellingham felt a niggle late on, though Tuchel hopes it is nothing serious. With Spain setting the pace in Nations League Group A3, England now travel to Rijeka for a pivotal clash with Croatia, with Tuchel keen to have Bellingham available.
