Bellingham's case hasn't been helped by questions that focus on his attitude. He has always played with a sense of bravado, and at times it can boil over, as it did during the 3-1 loss to Senegal last June, when Bellingham's angry response to a VAR decision that went against England caught the eye.
Tuchel was asked about the incident in an interview with TalkSport that followed that friendly at the City Ground, and insisted that Bellingham's emotions can be of benefit.
"I think he brings an edge, which we welcome and which is needed if we want to achieve big things," he said. "It needs to be channelled. The edge needs to be channelled toward the opponent, towards our goal and not to intimidate team-mates, or to be over aggressive to team-mates or referees."
It was at this point that Tuchel made perhaps the most infamous comment of his tenure thus far when discussing his own mother's thoughts on England's main man.
"I see that it can create mixed emotions. I see this with my parents, with my mum that she sometimes cannot see the nice and well-educated and well-behaved guy that I see… If he smiles, he wins everyone, but sometimes you see the rage, the hunger and the fire, and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive. For example, for my mother, when she sits in front of the TV, I see that, but in general we are very happy to have him, he's a special boy."
Bellingham did not return to the England fold until November as he recovered from his surgery, and his relationship with Tuchel immediately came under the microscope.
He was left on the bench for the opening game of that break against Serbia, but was restored to the starting line up against Albania three days later, only to seemingly gesture angrily when he was substituted with six minutes remaining of England's final qualifier.
"That's the decision, and he has to accept the decision," Tuchel said of the incident. "His friend is waiting on the sideline, so you need to accept it, respect it, and keep on going."
Former England striker Ian Wright, meanwhile, defended Bellingham while suggesting that some of the criticism of the midfielder comes from a more sinister place.
“I don't think they're ready for a black superstar who can move like Jude is moving. They can't touch him," Wright said of sections of the English media and fanbase "He goes out there, he performs, he does what he does. It's too uppity for these people.
They all love N'Golo Kante. He's a humble Black man, gets on with what he's doing. Someone like Jude frightens these people because of his capability and the inspiration he can give. Because if you are outspoken, Black, and playing to that level and not caring, that frightens certain people. It's a tiring exercise to speak about."
