Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020

Jude Bellingham England camp comments have added fresh focus to the national team’s FIFA World Cup build-up, with the Real Madrid midfielder saying England did not get everything right off the pitch at Euro 2024.

England reached the final in Germany under Sir Gareth Southgate before losing to Spain, but Bellingham said the group did not connect as well as it should have during the tournament.

The comments come as Thomas Tuchel England Plan Backed Before World Cup Opener Against Croatia puts the manager’s squad culture under close attention. Fans can follow official tournament updates through the FIFA website.

Bellingham Reflects on Euro 2024

“At the Euros I think we got a few things wrong off the pitch, I don’t feel the group connected as well as it could have for a number of reasons,” he told the Lion’s Den. “When it came to the tournament, we were seen as one of two or three teams that could win it. We weren’t playing well, which doesn’t help, so even when we were winning, we didn’t get the feeling that we were as happy as we should be.”

Bellingham’s overhead kick against Slovakia kept England alive in the last 16, before penalty drama against Switzerland and a late goal against the Netherlands took them to the final.

“I still remember how I was feeling at the time. It always makes me feel a bit uncomfortable because it was such a bad situation.

“We weren’t playing well. I remember as a kid watching World Cups and Euros where we crashed out against teams we shouldn’t have gone out to and I remember thinking: ‘Wow, I’m about to be a part of one of those moments.’ It shakes up the whole of English football.”

Tuchel Faces Bellingham and Rogers Call

Thomas Tuchel has spoken about building a “brotherhood” as England prepare to face Croatia in their World Cup opener on Wednesday.

Bellingham is competing with Morgan Rogers for the No 10 role, though he said there is no tension between them.

“He is a top guy, he can get along with anyone, can have conversations with anyone,” Bellingham said. “He can be a bit loud. We have debates that turn into arguments a lot. But we get on like brothers, to be fair.

“The manager has made it very clear in a lot of the times where he has spoken that we are playing for the same position. I know that has eased up a bit more now that he sees me playing more positions and Morgs playing more positions, but I honestly have no ill feelings when he is playing and I’m not playing.”