Tuchel’s Apology Following Controversial Comments
After facing backlash for his comments regarding Jude Bellingham, Thomas Tuchel has issued an apology, clarifying his choice of words during a recent interview. The controversy arose following England’s 3-1 friendly loss to Senegal at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, where Tuchel spoke on talkSPORT and discussed Bellingham’s intense style of play.
Praising Bellingham’s Intensity
While praising the young midfielder, who currently plays for Real Madrid, Tuchel mentioned that Bellingham could display what he described as “rage,” which he acknowledged might be perceived negatively. He stated,
“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.”
Tuchel even jokingly referenced how this intensity could be unsettling for his mother when watching from home.
Addressing the Backlash
In light of the resulting stir, Tuchel took the opportunity to address the matter again while announcing his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia — matches that Bellingham will miss due to a recent shoulder surgery.
Tuchel expressed regret over his initial remark, stating,
“I used this word unintentionally, just to make it very clear… There was no message. There was no hidden agenda.”
He recognized that his words had caused distress and accepted full responsibility for creating unwarranted headlines.
Language Barrier and Communication
Acknowledging his language barrier as a non-native speaker, Tuchel admitted,
“I thought I have a little bit more credit maybe with you guys… I did it in a live interview and I used the wrong word.”
He has since reached out to Bellingham to clear the air:
“Of course, I made contact straight away with him. Jude focuses now on his process in rehabilitation, and we focus on Andorra and Serbia.”
