England coach Thomas Tuchel has apologized to midfielder Jude Bellingham for describing his behavior as “a bit repulsive.”
Tuchel said the remark, made in a radio interview after England’s 3-1 friendly loss to Senegal in June, was unintentional and carried “no hidden agenda.” He expressed regret for any upset it caused.
“I used this word unintentionally and I’m sorry for the upset that I created,” the German coach told talkSPORT. Tuchel added he contacted Bellingham immediately after the comment.
He explained the term referred to the intensity and competitive edge Bellingham brings to the team. “Sometimes you see the rage, the hunger and the fire, and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive,” Tuchel said, adding that even his mother sometimes struggles to see the well-behaved side of the player on TV.
Reflecting on the incident more than two months later, Tuchel admitted: “I am experienced enough, I should have known better, I should have done better. It is my responsibility. I used the wrong word, I didn’t want to use this word.”
Bellingham, currently recovering from shoulder surgery, was not included in Tuchel’s latest England squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.