Jude Bellingham’s March Silence: England and Real Madrid Play Long Game with Midfield Star

London — Jude Bellingham will leave the March international window having played no minutes for England, as manager Thomas Tuchel elected to shield the 22-year-old from any risk ahead of a pivotal club and country stretch.

Bellingham, who returned from a 10-game hamstring lay-off on March 22 as a second-half substitute in the Madrid derby, trained with the Three Lions throughout the camp but was held out of Friday’s 1-1 draw with Uruguay and will also sit out Tuesday’s friendly against Japan at Wembley.

“I think it’s too much of a risk, so the tendency is that he will not play,” Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live. “We have all gained from him being part of it. He was excellent in training, but he was involved as a neutral player. He was not involved in 100 percent of the training.”

The German coach, appointed last autumn, stressed that the midfielder’s muscle complaint is “very particular” and that a re-injury at this juncture could derail both Real Madrid’s chase for major silverware and England’s World Cup preparations this summer.

With nothing tangible riding on the Japan fixture, Tuchel’s priority is ensuring Bellingham arrives at April’s club resumption at full capacity. Los Blancos resume La Liga action on April 4 away to Mallorca, four points behind leaders Barcelona, before a potential title-deciding Clásico at Camp Nou on May 10. In Europe, a Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich looms on April 7 and 15.

Bellingham’s presence in the final pre-World Cup squad was nevertheless significant. A three-time Ballon d’Or nominee and linchpin of England’s run to the Euro 2024 final, the Birmingham native is expected to anchor the No. 10 role behind Harry Kane once fit, flanked by Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson in Tuchel’s preferred midfield trio.

Past friction between player and manager—Tuchel once labelled Bellingham “repulsive” before apologising—appears resolved. “It was very good that he was in camp. He was excellent,” Tuchel reiterated.

For now, England will have to wait. Real Madrid, and a congested climax to the season, will get the fully primed version of Jude Bellingham.