Jude Bellingham captained England during the second half of their 1-0 friendly win against New Zealand in Tampa, Florida on June 6, 2026. The midfielder's leadership role on the pitch has reignited the debate over his tactical position.
On The Rest Is Football, pundit Micah Richards broke down the tactical headache of fitting Bellingham alongside other stars like Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka. "You can't have two of them coming towards the ball, unless you play someone who's willing to run in behind from a midfield area, and that's, that's the sort of conundrum with Jude Bellingham," Richards argued. "Because he wants to get on the ball, and he, but he wants to arrive, so it's just getting that balance right, isn't it?"
Whether England can strike this balance remains the ultimate question. As the team prepares for upcoming competitive fixtures, the pressure will be on to see if Bellingham can successfully operate as both a deep playmaker and a late-arriving goal threat.