Bellingham has a tendency to rise to the big occasion – with his “who else” goal celebration at Euro 2024 springing to mind – and can be expected to give his absolute all whenever called upon in North America.
Asked about the supposed character flaws and whether it would be wrong to try and change who and what Bellingham is, former England goalkeeper James – speaking on behalf of Grosvenor Sport, who offer the latest World Cup Odds – told GOAL: “I haven’t got a problem with it as long as everyone else is okay with it.
“It’s funny, Jordan Pickford is one who springs to mind now. The amount of people who talk about what he does on a pitch and how that might not look right. But I say the team that he’s playing in know that he’s going to do it. They’re okay with it.
“So as long as Jude, however he gestures, is something that is accepted by the rest of the team, then there isn’t a problem. In fact, when he stops doing it, I think you’ll find there’s more of a problem for the team because they’re not sure why he’s not doing it, be it positive or not so positive. As long as he’s consistent, then everybody gets around it.
“It’s consistency. It’s consistency and acceptance in the end because if that’s what he does to get himself playing the best, and that’s what England and the team want from him, then that’s fine.
“Obviously, with this, if it’s not so positively taken, then there’ll be a conversation. But Thomas Tuchel has picked the squad. Everybody knows their role according to what he said. And I’m sure if he had a problem with it, then Jude wouldn’t be doing it.”
