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Should Bellingham hopes to earn his place into England’s top team, the smart move to eliminate the nonsense. His reaction upon realizing that he was being shown following a night of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the players who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you must accept them as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a tantrum. The captain had just put the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential qualifier, there were six minutes left and the player, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for bringing down the Albanian striker. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that it was possible he would be suspended of the first match of the competition by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s frustration upon understanding that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the touchline it was clear that the manager was displeased.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for providing the assist for the captain to nod home the team's second, but his other actions was self-defeating. It's not like arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the importance of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, not included in last month’s squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad recently. Practically his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case with his response to being taken off as the side completed a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a tough opposition from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

It means opinions are divided on how England perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The performance was open to interpretation. There was experimentation by the coach in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the team organization and direction lately, using a defensive midfielder, a No 8, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton made his first start at this level and the role of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a similar look to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for Eze during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania came after he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after he was dispossessed by Broja and fouled the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who looked better suited to the role that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Saka. Later Saka provided a corner for the captain to break the deadlock. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, the focus was on him. Tuchel came over behind him and directed Bellingham to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard the player just yet. Yet whether he is willing to grant him a starring role is not guaranteed.