Jude Bellingham says he has “a little bit of a chip on my shoulder”, and he backed it up in England’s 4-2 win over Croatia in England vs Croatia. He scored England’s third goal in Dallas, had been chosen ahead of Morgan Rogers at No.10 before switching deeper, and had missed the September and October camps through injury.

Why Bellingham stood out in Dallas

The numbers matched the performance. Bellingham scored once, finished with a 7.6 rating and played 80 minutes before being substituted. His own explanation was blunt enough, too. “I have got a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. That helps me a lot to find that focus early in the game and to find that intensity,” he told rte.ie.

He was also clear that criticism does not turn into resentment. “I know that it's part of being a footballer and I don't hold a grudge against anyone who says bad things about me because sometimes I do deserve it.” That is a pretty sensible way to handle the noise, and it fits the evidence from this game. Bellingham looked switched on from the start and gave England a presence between the lines before dropping deeper later on.

Tuchel's message, and the wider England picture

Thomas Tuchel’s half-time message also mattered. Harry Kane said the manager told England to “take the shackles off”, “calm down” and “show the world who we can be”. Bellingham’s description of the interval was less dramatic. “It wasn't one of those where it was a big drama or standing up and shouting; it was what the team needed,” he said.

That split is probably the right way to read it. The speech was not a dressing-room blow-up, but England clearly came out sharper after the break, and Harry Kane was central to that with two goals and an 8.3 rating. Declan Rice also played his part, supplying one assist from a corner before being withdrawn with 20 minutes remaining after appearing to limp off.

Rice later said it was “just precaution” and that he would be back against Ghana. For England, the cleaner takeaway is Bellingham’s own. The criticism has not knocked him off course, and the Croatia win gave Tuchel exactly the kind of start he wanted.

Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →