'Chip on shoulder' may help Bellingham to best form

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Bellingham 'put noise aside' in England win over Croatia

Jude Bellingham has said the external "noise" around his place in the England team may help him find his best form during the World Cup.

One of the main talking points around selection before England's first group game against Croatia was whether boss Thomas Tuchel would select Real Madrid's Bellingham or Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers in the number 10 role behind captain Harry Kane.

Bellingham was chosen to start in Dallas and scored England's crucial third goal just after half-time, with Marcus Rashford adding a fourth late on to complete a 4-2 win.

"For me personally, it was nice to put some of the noise aside and just show my country and my team-mates how committed I am to help us try to win football matches," the 22-year-old, who is appearing in a fourth consecutive major tournament for England, told BBC Sport.

"To contribute, to help my team and help my country is one of the biggest honours and regardless of the noise outside, that honour doesn't change for me at all."

Bellingham conceded that it has been a "bit of a tougher season for me", with the start of his 2025-26 campaign disrupted by injury, his club side in Spain ending up eight points behind eventual champions Barcelona and his place in the national team under scrutiny.

But Bellingham said he feels "fresh and sharp" heading into the tournament and it was "nice to hear" comments from colleagues such as Jordan Henderson, who said the former Birmingham City and Borussia Dortmund player gives England an "X-factor".

Asked if he has entered the World Cup with added impetus, Bellingham said: "A little bit - I think I've got a little bit of a chip on my shoulder, haven't I?"

And asked if he feels he plays his best in that scenario, he continued: "I think so - that helps me a lot to find that focus early in the game and find that intensity.

"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.

"Today, it was nice to try to show people and remind people what I'm about."

Bellingham netted in England's World Cup opener against Iran in 2022 and repeated that feat in the 2026 tournament, collecting Elliot Anderson's pass down the right touchline and cutting infield before sliding a low shot past the Croatia goalkeeper into the far corner.

It put England into the lead for the third time in the match, having twice surrendered a one-goal advantage in the first half.

Working as a pundit for BBC Sport, former England defender Micah Richards said: "Bellingham is a big-game player.

"Rogers is fantastic as well, but in the moment where you needed him, he comes up trumps and that is the difference."

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