Jude Bellingham has been likened to Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, with Danny Murphy saying in an exclusive chat with GOAL that any concerns regarding the Real Madrid superstar’s character are “nonsense”. Bellingham has faced a few uncomfortable questions on the back of being left out of the latest England squad, with Thomas Tuchel talking up the need for harmony in his ranks.

Of all the England players who were left out of Thomas Tuchel's squad for their October fixtures, Jude Bellingham's omission seemed the most confusing. The midfielder has been one of the Three Lions' main protagonists ever since breaking into the starting XI post-Euro 2020 heartbreak and has long been heralded as a key player for whichever team he's representing.

Jude and Jobe Bellingham face a potentially unwelcome distraction away from the field, with the Daily Mail reporting that their parents have parted ways. It is claimed that Mark and Denise Bellingham have separated, having spent much of the last five years living apart as their time has been split between England, Germany and Spain - as they helped Jude and Jobe to thrive at club level. It is claimed that Mark is “growing close” to another woman.

"We are not collecting the most talented players, we are trying to build a team. Teams win trophies, no-one else." If anyone was in any doubt as to whether England manager Thomas Tuchel planned to stick to his fairly unpopular selection policy with the World Cup fast approaching, those pointed words ahead of the friendly victory over Wales more or less confirmed it.

Mark Bellingham, the father of Jude and Jobe, has seen some of his behaviour branded “an absolute joke” by England legend Sir Geoff Hurst. Bellingham senior has been billed as “the most powerful man in English football”, given the prominence of his two sons, but has also generated lively debate with his antics behind the scenes - with officials at Borussia Dortmund being confronted at one stage after Jobe was substituted at half-time.