England Coach Thomas Tuchel Frustrated with Real Madrid over Jude Bellingham Stance
Real Madrid's domestic season came to an end at the weekend, and it was an injury-riddled one for Carlo Ancelotti. Only two players from the squad were absent at some point due to injury, and many played through pain because of the importance of the games.
One of those was midfielder Jude Bellingham, who has been suffering from an ongoing shoulder injury. During the game on April 23 against Getafe, images emerged of Bellingham receiving heavy strapping to his left shoulder before coming on as a substitute.
Jude Bellingham will undergo shoulder surgery after the Club World Cup and be out of action for three months, according to reports.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 20, 2025
The midfielder dislocated his shoulder back in 2023 but opted against surgery. That means he has been playing with pain across the last two… pic.twitter.com/f6eJyK5yN9
It has been reported that he will undergo shoulder surgery after the Club World Cup has finished. That could be in the middle of July if Los Blancos reach the final.
England national team coach Tommy Tuchel is frustrated with the Spanish club for the decision. Bellingham was called up for England's two games at the beginning of June, and he expressed his concerns about waiting for surgery during his press conference (via The Mirror).
Jude has played for many months – way too long, maybe – with this issue. He plays with this huge shoulder strap under his shirt. I understand that he will go to the Club World Cup, and then at some point have surgery. From a purely medical point, it [surgery] should be yesterday. They keep delaying, because of the importance of Jude.
- Thomas Tuchel
The 21-year-old suffered a dislocated left shoulder in 2023, and the latest injury being on the same side may or may not be due to previous damage. It is unknown how much time Bellingham will play in both games for England. One is a World Cup 2026 qualifier against Andorra, and one is a friendly against Senegal, not a high-profile match.
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Jordan Merritt is a freelance soccer writer who covers Real Madrid CF On SI. He is an obsessive soccer fan and an Arsenal supporter.