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For Bellingham to aims to earn his place back into England’s strongest squad, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. His response upon realizing that his number was about to come up following a night of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for an outburst. The captain had just put the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless match, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, received a caution for a foul on the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. Indeed it might have been reckless for the head coach to not substitute him because there was a chance he would make himself ineligible of the first match of the tournament by getting a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s frustration when he clocked that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to score the team's second, but the rest was self-defeating. There was no chance protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

He, omitted from the team last month, is being watched carefully after returning to the team this month. Essentially he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to his substitution as the national team rounded off a ideal group stage by seeing off a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

It means the jury is out on if the squad function at their best when Bellingham plays. The performance was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. Under him, England have gained the squad organization and direction in recent months, employing a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel against Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start internationally and the role of the defender as a part-time midfielder gave a similar look to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent in the early stages. England were ragged after halftime. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when an opponent took the ball by Broja and fouled the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the squad's strength proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who seemed better suited to the spot that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner kick for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks will be crucial at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel came over from behind and guided Bellingham in the direction of the away supporters. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon him at this stage. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to give him centre stage is not guaranteed.