Bellingham Matches Maradona Record: Morgan Rogers Slams ‘Ridiculous’ Talk of Dropping England’s No.10

Jude Bellingham has six goals at the 2026 World Cup and has just matched a Diego Maradona record after scoring twice in England’s 2-1 quarter-final win over Norway. Weeks ago, a chunk of the English media wanted him benched. Morgan Rogers — the man who would have taken his place — has now called that whole debate “ridiculous”. Under Thomas Tuchel, the Real Madrid midfielder has gone from the most questioned player in the squad to the most decisive player in the tournament.

Morgan Rogers Shuts Down the ‘Ridiculous’ Bellingham Debate

Morgan Rogers has hit back at the pre-World Cup narrative suggesting Jude Bellingham should be dropped from England’s starting XI, calling the discussion “ridiculous”. Bellingham has been the standout performer for the Three Lions in North America, delivering a run of match-winning displays under Thomas Tuchel.

What gives the comment weight is who made it. Rogers was the player most often named as the alternative in the No.10 role — the direct beneficiary if Tuchel had blinked. Instead of stoking the competition, he publicly backed the man ahead of him, which says as much about England’s dressing room as any result has.

Six Goals and a Maradona Record: The Numbers Behind the Turnaround

Bellingham’s brace in the 2-1 quarter-final win over Norway took him to six goals at this World Cup and level with a record held by Diego Maradona. No midfielder in the tournament has come close to that output. This is no longer a hot streak — it is sustained, knockout-round dominance from the hardest position on the pitch to score from.

The mechanism is simple and it keeps working: Bellingham attacks the box late, arriving from deep into the space that opposition holding midfielders vacate when they step up to press. Norway knew it was coming. They still could not stop it twice.

How Tuchel Built England Around Him

Thomas Tuchel’s England is more vertical than the version that laboured through Qatar in 2022. Bellingham has been stripped of defensive responsibility and pushed into the final third, where his running power turns turnovers into shots. The German head coach held his nerve through the pre-tournament criticism and is being repaid in goals when it matters most.

The trade-off is real — England commit fewer bodies behind the ball and can be caught in transition — but Tuchel has decided that a free Bellingham is worth more than a balanced midfield. Six goals into the tournament, that call looks unanswerable.

What It Means for England’s Semi-Final and Beyond

England go into the semi-finals with the tournament’s most in-form attacking player and, crucially, a settled question at No.10. Rogers’ comments matter here: a squad arguing about its best player in July is a squad that goes out in July. This one is not arguing.

The warning sign is dependence. If Bellingham is marked out of a game or picks up a knock, England’s route to goal narrows sharply — which is exactly why the depth Rogers provides behind him could still decide whether the Three Lions lift the trophy.

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