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Allardyce Benches Bellingham for 2026 World Cup
30 Mar
Summary
- Sam Allardyce excludes Jude Bellingham from his predicted 2026 World Cup starting XI.
- Morgan Rogers is Allardyce's preferred choice for the number 10 role.
- Allardyce believes Bellingham would sulk if benched for the tournament.

Sam Allardyce, a former England manager, has made a bold prediction for the 2026 World Cup, stating that Jude Bellingham would not feature in his preferred starting XI. Allardyce expressed his preference for Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers to occupy the creative number 10 position behind captain Harry Kane.
In Allardyce's proposed attacking formation for the tournament, Bukayo Saka would play on the right wing, Anthony Gordon on the left, with Rogers in the center. He explicitly stated that Bellingham would be on the bench, expressing concern that the young star might show displeasure. This controversial opinion follows a trend of pundits making unexpected selections, with Alan Shearer also recently omitting established stars from his predicted lineup.