Apology from Thomas Tuchel for Distasteful Comment as Trent Alexander-Arnold is Excluded from England Squad

Thomas Tuchel Apologizes for "Repulsive" Remark About Jude Bellingham

Thomas Tuchel, the England manager, has issued a public apology for a comment he made in June describing Jude Bellingham's on-field behavior as "repulsive." The apology comes after Tuchel admitted that his mother sometimes found Bellingham's behavior on the pitch to be repulsive when watching from home.

Tuchel's apology was prompted by his remark following England's friendly defeat to Senegal. He has since reached out to Bellingham, who is currently recovering from shoulder surgery and will miss September's World Cup qualifiers.

England currently sits at the top of Group K with three wins from three games. The team will face Andorra at Villa Park on 6 September and Serbia three days later. However, several key players will be missing due to injuries, including Kyle Walker, Phil Foden, Ivan Toney, Trevoh Chalobah, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, and Jude Bellingham himself.

Tuchel's squad for the September qualifiers does not include Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was previously included but has been dropped. This decision has sparked fresh debate, with Alexander-Arnold having joined Real Madrid this summer. Marcus Rashford, Adam Wharton, and Jarrod Bowen have been recalled to the England squad.

Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson and Tottenham full-back Djed Spence are first-time call-ups for England. Tuchel emphasizes the importance of competition for places in the squad, with a tighter 24-man squad selected for the World Cup qualifiers.

After naming the squad, Tuchel plans to focus on continuing the development process of the England team. He acknowledges that no immediate "miracle" is expected until the summer, and he remains determined to overcome any perceived challenges with the squad. He also cited the low stadium atmosphere as a factor affecting the team's performance in the match against Andorra.

Despite the controversy surrounding his comment about Bellingham, Tuchel explained that he used the word "unintentionally" to clarify that there was no message or hidden agenda. Jordan Henderson, 35, retains his place in the England squad.

Apology from Thomas Tuchel for Distasteful Comment as Trent Alexander-Arnold is Excluded from England Squad