England captain Declan Rice has firmly shut down any doubts over Jude Bellingham’s place in the national team, saying the Real Madrid star remains “a massive part” of the Three Lions setup despite being left out of recent fixtures.
Bellingham was excluded from Thomas Tuchel’s plans for the friendlies against Wales and Latvia, prompting questions about his form and role. But Rice, speaking after England’s 3-0 win over Wales at Wembley, made it clear that the squad still values the young midfielder highly.
“Every time you play for England, you want to grab your shirt and grab your chance. But we do miss Jude, for sure,” Rice said. “We miss Phil, we miss Cole — we miss loads of players for reasons the manager’s explained.”
The Arsenal star, who captained England in Harry Kane’s absence, also praised the depth and unity of the squad, expressing excitement about reuniting with Bellingham, Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden in the next international camp.
“We’re obviously an unreal team, and they’re part of that. What they’ve done in an England shirt is incredible. We’re looking forward to having them back next camp, hopefully,” he added.
Rice’s comments come as England continue their preparations for the 2026 World Cup, focusing on maintaining cohesion and rhythm across all positions.
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