Gary Neville has supported Jude Bellingham after the England hero clapped back at Thomas Tuchel's perfectionist interview following Sunday's spirited comeback against Norway.
The Three Lions reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, beating Norway 2-1 in extra-time after Bellingham struck twice to cancel out Andreas Schjelderup's first half cross-cum-shot.
However, England boss Tuchel was unimpressed with the resolute performance in the sweltering Miami heat, labelling it 'sloppy, lucky' and not good enough in 'every sense'.
Bellingham was a dissenting voice, though. The Real Madrid attacker, who has scored six goals in six World Cup games, was unimpressed by Tuchel's comments after England had scrapped for 120 minutes in 40°C-plus heat to set up a mouth-watering tie against Argentina.
Responding to Tuchel on ITV, Bellingham said: 'Yeah, well. Whatever, whatever. It's difficult out there. It's a tough shift. All the players are putting in a very tough shift. My thoughts and appreciation goes to the players who were out there and put in a great shift yet again.'
The 23-year-old doubled down when speaking to the written press too, adding: 'Maybe he doesn't know what it is like to play in those kind of conditions against Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard, Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sorloth. That's not an easy team to play against.
'We have tried to create a positive environment - we should continue that going into the final four. I can't speak highly enough of the lads. You're not going to win every game popping the ball and making a thousand passes. Sometimes you have to win dirty and we've done that again.'
When pressed on Tuchel's 'lucky' comment, Bellingham simply replied: 'No comment'.
The relationship between Bellingham and Tuchel has been volatile over the past year with the German labelling his superstar attacker 'a bit repulsive' in an outlandish interview with talkSPORT in June 2025. Tuchel did later apologise for the comment.
But former England right-back and assistant manager under Roy Hodgson, Gary Neville, has backed Bellingham for standing by the team after Tuchel's scathing assessment.
'I really liked it,' Neville told Sky Sports. 'I’m not a great believer in players not doing interviews, particularly when you’re the best players in the team. If you’re the star player, the guy that is going to win us games, I think you’re the guy who has to go and speak.
'Jude Bellingham in every single game at this tournament has spoken - even after the Ghana draw when it wasn’t a great performance and there was a bit of criticism flying around.
'There are only a number of players that can make interviews like that, with a bit of punch back at their manager and he is one of them. He’s taken responsibility on and off the pitch throughout this tournament.
'What I liked wasn’t just the words that came out of his mouth, but it was the look in his eyes. You see the look of someone who is fierce and determined to succeed.
'What you have sometimes - not just in football but in life - is people not willing to have difficult conversations with each other. Thomas Tuchel comes out, he’s given an interview, he’s not happy with the performance because he knows that team can do better and he knows they have to do better against Argentina.
'He’s got a player who wants a bit of respect for getting to a World Cup semi-final, for the achievement, effort and commitment that the players have put in. I have no problem with this kind of stuff. Sometimes it comes to a head, but it’s not a problem. Sometimes it’s better to be like that than have it the other way.'
Neville extolled Bellingham's consistent performances at the World Cup, declaring that has validated his standing among football's elite.
'He has been absolutely sensational. Honestly it gives me goosebumps to watch a performance like that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an England player have an influence in a tournament like this.
'I was with Gazza in ‘96, Rooney in 2004 and Michael Owen in ‘98. I watched those things live and I’ve never seen anything like this. This is absolutely exceptional, it’s of the highest level.'