How Tuchel's fluid England setup is unlocking Jude Bellingham's full potential

England opened their new Nations League era with a stunning attacking display against Croatia, winning 7-0 in Rijeka with Jude Bellingham once again proving why Thomas Tuchel's project revolves around him. The Real Madrid playmaker thrived in a number 10 role with licence to drift across the entire forward line, a tactical bet designed to make the most of his intuition and his ability to appear in unexpected areas.

• Anthony Barry, Tuchel's assistant, says the new structure allows Bellingham to play more on intuition and less caged in a fixed position.
• England beat Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka three days after losing 3-2 to Spain at Wembley.
• The new model is more fluid and principle-driven than position-based: high full-backs, quick runs from the wingers and Harry Kane dropping into defensive areas without the ball.
• Kane will equal Peter Shilton's England men's caps record if he plays against Czechia: 125 appearances.

Why Bellingham no longer has a fixed position for England

Bellingham was the standout performer in the win over Croatia, just as he had been days earlier in the defeat against Spain. He starts as a number 10, but the role Tuchel has given him goes far beyond a label on the tactics board. The midfielder has freedom to drift to both flanks, create overloads and show up wherever he feels he can hurt the opposition.

At Birmingham, his first club, Bellingham wore the number 22 because he saw himself as a number 4, a number 8 and a number 10 rolled into one. Tuchel appears to have turned that story into a tactical approach: when a talent can play in so many positions, the smartest move may be not to give him a fixed one at all.

The structure allows Jude to play more from his intuition and less from being locked down or caged in a certain position. It allows him to roam and operate in spaces where he thinks he can be dangerous, and so far it has brought out the best in him.

A more fluid model for the whole England team, not just Bellingham

Bellingham's liberation is the most visible sign of a broader shift. Against Croatia, Tuchel's side featured extremely high full-backs, wingers making quick runs off the sides and midfielders willing to cover a lot of ground. The aim is for players to interchange positions naturally, so the structure does not depend on rigid labels.

Harry Kane provided the most striking example. A striker who usually lives near the opposition box dropped into defensive areas out of possession, offering cover in zones most number nines never visit. That selflessness without the ball is a key part of the model: fluidity only works if it is anchored to solid principles.

England's counterpress was another devastating factor. Whenever a player lost the ball, he and his teammates looked to win it back within two or three seconds. Croatia were overwhelmed, especially in a first half that ended with England four goals ahead.

Anthony Barry and the move towards a principle-driven England

Barry explained that the coaching staff have shifted towards an approach guided by principles, with more flexibility and less prescription. He said fluidity only looks good when it is anchored to clear ideas, and that the risk of this model in international football is the lack of preparation time. With the football intelligence of this England group, he added, the movement and interchanges have come quite naturally.

We have moved to a more principle-driven approach, which allows for more flexibility and fluidity. But fluidity only looks good if it is anchored by real principles. It is not about starting new, it is about continuation and adding stuff on top. It is less prescribed, less fixed in the idea of 'you play here, you play there'. It is more interchanges of position.

The assistant also highlighted the ability of the frontline players to move, open up spaces and read the game. He noted that England have elite penetration on the last line, whether it comes from the wingers or the full-backs, and fluid midfielders in Elliot Anderson, Alex Scott and Declan Rice who are happy to cover miles.

Harry Kane one cap away from England's all-time record

Tuesday's match against Czechia at Wembley could be a special one for Harry Kane. If he plays, he will reach 125 caps for the England men's team and equal Peter Shilton's record. Barry praised his professionalism, his leadership and his lack of ego, as well as his willingness to track back and do the dirty work.

Barry offered a particularly significant compliment: he said Kane is the best ball-striker he has ever worked with. That carries extra weight given that the coach worked with Cristiano Ronaldo during his time with Portugal, as Roberto Martinez's assistant.

England's road towards Euro 2028

For the Football Association, the Nations League is much more than a tournament: it is the launching pad towards Euro 2028, where England will be a co-host. The cycle now beginning aims to cement a playing identity that allows the team to take the decisive step after their World Cup semi-final, and one that gives the best attackers more freedom to express themselves.

The intensity shown against Croatia must last. If the team can sustain that press and that movement, Tuchel's new model could become the calling card of a side that has spent years accumulating talent and now wants to turn it, finally, into silverware.