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For Bellingham to hopes to fight his way into England’s strongest squad, the smart move to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted when he saw that his number was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for bringing down an opponent. This was hardly a controversial substitution. In fact it might have been reckless for Tuchel to not substitute him given that there was a risk the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the competition by getting a another booking.

Shifting Focus to Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the player's frustration as he realized that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the head coach was displeased.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He praised his teammate for providing the assist for Kane to score his second goal, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It is not as if protesting was going to alter the decision. The German has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the team this month. Essentially he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to his substitution as the national team completed a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

As a result it's unclear on how the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. The performance was not definitive. There was experimentation from the manager in the beginning. He has provided the squad a clear system over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different against Albania. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton started for the first time internationally and the use of John Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze after the break but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England were ragged for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card came after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel threw on Foden, who seemed better suited to the position occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka provided a set-piece for Harry Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the player change. At the end, all eyes were on him. The coach approached to his side and guided Bellingham to acknowledge the travelling England fans. The bond between them is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon him at this stage. However, whether he is willing to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.