England manager Thomas Tuchel defended Jude Bellingham after the midfielder's heated exchange with Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz in Boston. The incident occurred following a challenge Bellingham described as a 'silly tackle' during England's 0-0 draw, which saw the Three Lions fail to build on their opening victory over Croatia.

Bellingham claimed he was attempting to win the ball when he followed through and caught an opponent, then spoke with the player afterward. He suggested Queiroz's bench reacted by pressuring officials for a yellow card. The 22-year-old made history as England's youngest player to reach 50 caps but struggled to influence the match against a disciplined Ghana side.

Tuchel's defense comes after previous public criticism of Bellingham's conduct. The manager once labeled his behavior during a June defeat by Senegal as 'repulsive' - remarks he later retracted. Despite starting and scoring against Croatia, Bellingham's place in the team remained uncertain heading into the tournament.

Remarkably, Bellingham rejected his player-of-the-match award against Ghana, insisting it should have gone to one of their defenders for their resilient performance. His humble reaction contrasts sharply with the earlier controversy, showing maturity beyond his years.