"Thomas Tuchel's Secret to Unleashing Jude Bellingham's Superstar Potential – A Pathway to World Cup Triumph?"

IT’S closer, now, than it’s ever been in 60 years.

Six decades of anguish and frustration, near misses and what-might-have-beens.

Thomas Tuchel asks Jude Bellingham to give even more in a break in the energy-draining encounter with Norway Credit: Getty Jude on target for his first goal against Norway Credit: Reuters

And it’s the two big beasts of the camp who can get the Three Lions over the World Cup line.

’s growth as leader and inspiration of this England side may have been something we’ve been waiting for since the Brummie emerged seven years ago.

But it has taken manager to move from a potential superstar into the real thing. At times, the duo may not have had an entirely harmonious relationship.

, after a talkSPORT radio interview in which he revealed his mother found some of Bellingham’s on-field behaviour “repulsive”.

Jude Bellingham has stepped up as England’s leader, with Thomas Tuchel helping to finally unlock the midfielder’s full potential Credit: Getty Thomas Tuchel was brought in as the final piece of England’s puzzle after Gareth Southgate came agonisingly close to glory across four major tournaments Credit: Alamy

And Bellingham responded with typical pugnaciousness to his manager’s earned a semi-final showdown with .

Tuchel called his side’s performance “sloppy” while he also claimed they were “lucky”. But ­Bellingham brushed Tuchel’s claims off with a “whatever” when ­interviewed shortly afterwards.

He added: “Maybe he doesn’t know what it takes to play in those ­conditions against , Nusa, Sorloth — that’s not an easy team to play against.”

But it is clear that the two do have a shared and relentless vision and focus now. A belief that the semi- final in Dallas is just the next stage of a journey that is meant to end on the outskirts of New York next Sunday. With lifting the World Cup trophy into the air at the MetLife Stadium.

Bellingham repeated his Mexico brace by rescuing a laboured England against Norway Credit: Alamy Thomas Tuchel was pumped up on the sidelines Credit: Getty

Tuchel was appointed to be the missing piece in the England ­jigsaw. , over four tournaments, had taken England to within sight of the summit — semi-final, final, quarter-final, final. But not, quite, to the peak.

The German’s win with over Pep ­Guardiola’s in 2021 was a key factor for his arrival.

FA bosses saw him as the man with a plan, the cold-blooded ­tactician to inspire and devise a strategy in the biggest moments. With England, it is a two-headed strategy. One being Kane, of course. The best out and out centre-forward in world .

And, increasingly, Bellingham, whose sometimes brash image is not in keeping with the reality.

Bellingham capitalised on a rebound to net the goal Credit: Getty

Indeed, inside the England backroom team, if there was a poll of who is the most-liked of an extremely likeable group, Bellingham would win, hands-down.

A winner, too. As he showed in the Wembley Champions League Final for Madrid against his old club Dortmund in 2024.

Bellingham’s determination to do it his way, the right way, has been clear throughout his career.

through and through — he even appeared in the video launch for Blues’ planned “power station” new stadium and broke Trevor Francis’ record to become the club’s ­youngest player, just 38 days after his 16th birthday.

After the match, Thomas Tuchel ranted at ITV reporter Gabriel Clarke about England’s mentality Credit: ITV Jude Bellingham couldn’t hide his frustration after hearing about Tuchel’s criticism Credit: ITV

Bellingham could have waited for a Premier League giant to come in for him. Instead, aged just 17, he chose to move to Germany.

Dortmund, he knew, would be the stage for him to develop.

At times, he does get exasperated and explode. But that volatility is the edge he needs, the propulsion unit that allows him to make a ­difference when it really matters.

And it really mattered in Miami, as Norway’s Vikings looked set to row all over England. Jude became the first player to score back-to-back World Cup ­doubles in ­knock-out matches since in 1986.

Bellingham has excelled at the World Cup He found the winner in Extra Time to book a semi-final against Argentina Credit: Alamy

Told about the stat, modest ­Bellingham said: “It’s amazing to be in that bracket. He was ten ­million times the player I am.

“I’m just trying to deliver what I can for my team. I’ll keep doing it with everything I’ve got left.”

Tuchel’s mood in the aftermath of the Miami victory alternated between pride in his players’ ­courage but also demanding more.

He has always been motivated by an intense perfectionism — from his first managerial role to now.

In 2009, at German side Mainz 05, he banned players from leaving the canteen until everyone had finished eating their meals. And he had run-ins with his bosses at Dortmund, PSG and Chelsea, especially over transfers. At Chelsea, he was “a nightmare to deal with”.

Yet he has embraced English football and loves it for what it is.

Bellingham is the representative of all that and more.

Two men from different ­backgrounds but with a shared and mutual vision.

One that we could be less than a week away from seeing become gloriously real. Maybe just 180 ­minutes from the ultimate triumph.

Hell’s Bells, Thomas. You’ve got the real deal with Jude.

Tuchel freeing up Bellingham has been England’s golden ticket to the semi-finals Credit: Getty