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For Bellingham to wants to force his way into England’s top starting eleven, it would be smart to do away with the dramatics. The way he reacted when he saw that his number was going up after an evening of inconsistency in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the teammates who come in," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you must accept them as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a strop. The captain had just put the national team leading by two in an inconsequential fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a debatable decision. In fact it would have been unwise for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that there was a chance the midfielder would be suspended of the first match of the World Cup by picking up a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the player's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to head in his second of the night, but the rest was harmful to his cause. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

He, omitted from the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the fold in the current camp. Essentially his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to coming off the pitch as England rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

This implies the jury is out on if the team operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was inconclusive. There was experimentation from Tuchel at the start. Under him, England have gained the squad organization and direction in recent months, employing a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different against Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, Adam Wharton started for the first time for England and the role of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but often looked overly eager to shine. Several poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player in the early stages. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania followed he lost the ball cheaply. His booking came after an opponent took the ball by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Foden, who appeared better suited to the spot in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka provided a corner for Kane to score the first goal. It highlighted that dead-ball situations will play a key role at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was a little lost amid the drama of the player change. After the final whistle, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up from behind and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to give up on Bellingham yet. But if the coach is prepared to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.