Bellingham to Start as England's No. 10 vs Croatia
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- Jude Bellingham is set to start in England's number 10 role for their World Cup Group L opener against Croatia on Wednesday in Dallas (21:00 BST).
- Thomas Tuchel is likely to select the 22-year-old Real Madrid star over Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, who had emerged as a viable option in the central attacking berth.
- Declan Rice (Arsenal) and Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest) are expected to complete England's midfield alongside Bellingham.
- The decision resolves weeks of conjecture over who would occupy England's most coveted attacking position after Rogers' recent emergence.
Why it matters: Bellingham getting the nod over Rogers — who had staked a strong claim in the role — signals Tuchel's trust in the Real Madrid midfielder to anchor England's attack from the very first match of a World Cup campaign, with Rice and Anderson tasked with providing the platform behind him.
