2025-12-10 12:22:59
Jude Bellingham will be critical to England’s hopes at the 2026 World Cup, according to Morgan Rogers.
The Three Lions head to the Americas next summer among the tournament favourites, and the Aston Villa forward, 23, believes the Real Madrid midfielder, 22, will be a leading figure in manager Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man squad.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Rogers said: “Well, I’ve known him pretty much all my life and I know exactly what he’s like.
“He’s just got a passion and a drive, and a desire to win and to be the best player, and that’s why he’s doing so well.”
Bellingham has been a mainstay for England since breaking into the team at 17 years old, and starred for Real Madrid during their run of major trophies in 2024 and 2025.
His reaction to being substituted against Albania in the World Cup qualifier recently prompted questions about his attitude, but Rogers dismissed any concerns.
He said: “That’s why he is where he is … It’s his mentality, it’s his attitude, it’s all those things above, he just wants to win and shine, and do well on the biggest stages.”
Rogers was emphatic that England should cherish having a player of Bellingham’s calibre.
He said: “He’s already done so much in his career and he wants to do more, he wants to be the guy to lift the World Cup for England and to score winning goals, and to take games away from opposition teams.
“We should be lucky that we have a player like that on our side … because he’s world-class.”
Tuchel, appointed England manager after the 2024 Euros, is currently assessing his options in attacking midfield, an area where England are particularly strong.
Alongside Bellingham, Cole Palmer, 23, Phil Foden, 25, Morgan Gibbs-White, also 25, and Eberechi Eze, 27, are all candidates for the No.10 role heading into the summer.
Rogers – who has three goals and five assists for Villa this season – is also in contention.
He acknowledged the fierce competition but insisted harmony within the squad is strong.
He said: “Everyone wants the shirt, everyone wants to play, everyone wants to be the man … but it might be different people for different days, different occasions, different styles of play.
“It’s just about each other making sure we’re at the best of our ability.”
Rogers also dismissed claims of internal conflicts within the squad.
He said: “We’re there as a team, we’re on the same side, we’re not plotting against each other, it’s never been about that. I think that’s more of a media thing… It’s not something that we focus on.”
England begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 17, 2026 at the Dallas Stadium before facing Ghana on June 23 and Panama on June 27.
A top-place finish in Group L would send them to Atlanta for the last 16.
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