Thomas Tuchel sees Jude Bellingham as a possible No 9 for England

Thomas Tuchel has identified Jude Bellingham as a possible No 9 for England after using him up front late in Tuesday’s 2-0 Nations League win over Czechia in Prague. The coach’s comments, reported by the Guardian on Wednesday, offer a glimpse of how England might cover for Harry Kane, though they do not amount to a decision to make Bellingham a regular striker.

Bellingham came off the bench, took the captain’s armband and led the line after replacing Kane in the closing stages, according to the Guardian. Tuchel said: ‘I like him as a [No] 9.’ He presented the switch as one of several ways to adjust the attack around a captain whose goals remain central to the team.

How Bellingham could play alongside Kane

Tuchel’s account was broader than a straight choice between Kane and Bellingham. He said England had also tried Bellingham as a central No 10, closer to Kane in a 4-2-3-1 formation. From there, he said, Bellingham can move to either side and help create an advantage alongside other attackers.

In the No 9 role, Tuchel said, Bellingham can still contribute on both sides without disrupting the team’s balance as much. He described a player who wants to get beyond the last defensive line, arrive in the box and take a decisive action. Those qualities, in Tuchel’s view, make the difference between starting as a No 9 and a No 10 less important to Bellingham’s attacking contribution.

Why England are considering cover for Harry Kane

Kane scored England’s second goal against Czechia, taking him to 87 goals in 123 international appearances, according to the Guardian. Tuchel praised his finishing after the match and said England should not expect to find another player identical to him. ‘We look for different solutions,’ he said, adding that any longer-term answer might emerge well beyond his own tenure.

Tuchel also backed Kane to remain at the highest level for another decade, the Guardian reported. That is the coach’s assessment, not a forecast England can count on. For the present, Kane continues to score, but considering alternatives gives Tuchel ways to change the side during a match or respond when the captain is unavailable.

The question of depth extends beyond Bellingham. The Guardian reported that Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney were overlooked for this camp. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who came on for Kane against Spain on Saturday, had four goals in 13 England appearances; Liam Delap had not yet received a senior call-up. Those are the options described in the report, rather than evidence that Bellingham has moved ahead of every specialist forward.

What happened against Czechia in Prague

England’s win provided the immediate setting for Tuchel’s comments. UEFA reported that Pavel Šulc was sent off midway through the first half for a foul on Elliot Anderson. England did not score before the break, despite Morgan Rogers hitting the post and Kane forcing a save from Matěj Kovář.

Anthony Gordon broke the deadlock shortly after half-time, heading in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross, before Kane added the second. In the Football Association’s account of the match, Tuchel praised both Alexander-Arnold’s delivery and Gordon’s finish. He said England played with greater urgency after the interval and called the victory deserved, while acknowledging that an early dismissal made the game awkward.

The result gave England its first win in Nations League Group A3 after defeat to Spain in its opening match, according to UEFA. It also gave Tuchel a brief chance to see Bellingham at the point of the attack after Kane went off. The trial came late in a game against ten men, a limited setting from which to judge how the same arrangement would work from the start against a full-strength opponent.

What Tuchel has decided for England’s next match

England’s next assignment is away to Croatia on Saturday, the Guardian reported. Tuchel has described Bellingham as an option and explained why the role appeals to him, but the available reporting gives no starting lineup or decision to keep the same shape. For now, Kane remains the established scorer, and Bellingham’s late appearance at No 9 is one possible answer to the question of cover.