Jude Bellingham delivered a performance that many believe has settled the argument over England's No 10 shirt — at least from a public perspective. His display in England's 4-2 victory over Croatia in Dallas was electric, culminating in a third goal that shifted the momentum of the entire match.

After a laboured first half, Bellingham took control. Within two minutes of Thomas Tuchel's half-time address — in which the head coach demanded more positivity, greater passion, and attacking freedom — Bellingham won the ball, drove forward, and slotted home off the back post.

Pundits rave, Tuchel stays measured

The reaction among pundits was overwhelming. Gary Neville was unequivocal: "Let's be clear, Jude Bellingham is not a sub. He's a star. That's it. He's a star." Toni Kroos, a five-time Champions League winner, added: "He can be an incredibly complete player and the best in his position. He has all the attributes." Rio Ferdinand went further: "Jude Bellingham is the only one, alongside Harry Kane, who at the biggest moments, his presence gets bigger in the stadium."

Tuchel, however, was notably more restrained. He acknowledged Bellingham's impact — "You can rely on Jude in these moments. He loves these pressure games. That brings out the best in him" — but reserved his warmest praise for Kane: "A complete performance. Absolute leader. He's all in. Physically, mentally, it's the full package at the moment. He wants it and he leads by example."

For most observers, Bellingham and Kane were equally impressive. The contrast in Tuchel's language was hard to ignore.

The Rogers factor

What proved most telling, though, was an unprompted moment in the post-match news conference. Asked specifically about Bellingham, Tuchel pivoted — deliberately — to Morgan Rogers.

"The tough decision was to say to Morgan Rogers he will not start, because he deserves 100 per cent to start and he did ever so well for us and me," Tuchel said.

That shift in conversation was no accident. Tuchel has shown throughout his 18-month tenure with England that reputation carries no weight with him. What matters is how a player serves the team, how they fit the system, and how they embrace the collective spirit.

His highest compliment for Bellingham after the Croatia win had nothing to do with the goal or the individual brilliance. It concerned attitude: "Because of the last 17 days, how he bought into the idea of team spirit, the idea of brotherhood and the idea of how we want to play football, which is a slightly different position to his position in Real Madrid."

Different players, different roles

Bellingham and Rogers are contrasting profiles. Bellingham thrives on flair and individual moments of genius. Rogers, by contrast, elevates those around him — his unselfish movement and spatial awareness create opportunities for others, most notably Kane and Declan Rice.

Rogers tends to drift right when Rice is present, freeing the Arsenal midfielder to advance down the left. He also pushes into a high No 9 role, either supporting Kane directly or giving the captain licence to drop and dictate. That is precisely what Tuchel wants from his system.

The numbers underline the point: in 38 appearances together, Kane and Bellingham have combined for just one open-play goal. Rogers, statistically and stylistically, fits the blueprint more naturally.

As England prepare to face Ghana on Tuesday, Bellingham's brilliance is undeniable — but Tuchel's deliberate inclusion of Rogers in the conversation is a clear signal that the No 10 debate is far from buried.