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For Bellingham to aims to fight his way back into England’s best starting eleven, the smart move to cut out the nonsense. His reaction when he saw that his number was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a tantrum. Harry Kane had recently scored to make England leading by two in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for fouling Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Indeed it might have been reckless for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a risk he would make himself ineligible of the first match of the World Cup by picking up a another booking.

Shifting Focus to Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's frustration upon understanding that he was going to make way for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the bench it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He praised Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to score his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It's not like arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, not included in the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad recently. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to being taken off as the national team wrapped up a flawless qualification run by seeing off a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

As a result it's unclear on if the team perform optimally including Bellingham. What we saw was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things from the manager at the start. He has provided the team organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a holding player, a No 8, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup internationally and the role of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eze in the latter period but often looked too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player in the early stages. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card occurred when an opponent took the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who appeared better suited to the role in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka provided a corner for Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed Bellingham towards the English fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to abandon the player just yet. Yet whether he is willing to give him the central position remains in doubt.