Bellingham warned Rogers will outshine him at World Cup

GFX Morgan Rogers Jude Bellingham

Former England midfielder Nicky Butt has warned Jude Bellingham that manager Thomas Tuchel will ruthlessly ignore player reputations at the upcoming World Cup. Butt believes the Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers possesses the ultimate X-factor and could completely outshine established superstars like Bellingham and Harry Kane on the global stage.

Tuchel prioritises form over reputation

Butt has claimed that England manager Tuchel will show no hesitation in dropping misfiring superstars at the 2026 World Cup. The former Three Lions midfielder believes Villa playmaker Rogers could rapidly displace Bellingham in the starting line-up if the Real Madrid midfielder fails to find his feet early in the tournament.

Bellingham enters the competition following a frustrating, injury-plagued season in which a shoulder issue and subsequent hamstring injury sidelined him for significant periods. He did, however, manage 40 appearances in all competitions, 30 of which were as a member of the starting XI.

Rogers, meanwhile, approaches the tournament off the back of a stellar campaign that saw Aston Villa secure the Europa League trophy and finish fourth in the Premier League. The 23-year-old managed 13 goals and 11 assists across the two competitions.

His stature in the England squad is growing, too, having played in 13 of England's 14 matches since he made his debut in 2024, and Butt believes he has the potential to outshine the bigger names in Thomas Tuchel's team.

Morgan Rogers England 2026

Butt tips Rogers to explode

Speaking exclusively to Paddy Power, Butt highlighted the tactical qualities that make Rogers a potential breakout star. Butt said: “[Harry] Kane, [Declan] Rice, [Bukayo] Saka and [Jude] Bellingham are the superstars but Morgan Rogers could be the one that really stands out.

"It’ll depend on how Jude Bellingham starts the tournament. If he starts the tournament on fire, then it's different. But if he's not on the ball or Harry Kane needs to be coming or he’s not scoring goals.

"There’s always one in every tournament that stands out. You might not think about them in that way but they just become players on a whole new level. Rogers is a [Thomas] Tuchel kind of player, he likes him a lot in that number ten role. He can score goals from outside the box. Lots of World Cup goals come from outside the box because teams sit deep around the box."

He added: "I think Rogers has got the X-factor. He scores goals, he started to come really good towards the end of the season. He started the season on fire, he had a bit of a blip but then he came again. I've got a sneaking feeling that he could come off the bench a few times and score some really important goals. He could be the difference in a lot of games.

"I think the starting XI picks itself and he won’t get in straight away. But if Bellingham's not flying, one thing about Tuchel is that he doesn't give a f*ck about player egos or the perception. If Bellingham, for example, is not playing well, he'll take him out of the firing line and put Rogers straight in.

"You could then see someone who could become England's best player in the tournament, he's got that much ability. People can go in as a bit-part player and come out being a superstar. It's happened with so many players over the years.”

Pressure mounts on tactical selections

Butt expressed deep concerns over England's chances, citing heavy environmental obstacles and high national expectations. He added: “I personally think it would be a success to get to the final stages - the semi or the final. But even then, with our expectations as a nation, I think even a semi might be seen as a failure.

"I don't think it would be. We’ve got a young squad, it's going to take time. I can't see us winning it. With the conditions over there, the heat and humidity, all the travel, it just doesn't seem possible. I'm not confident.

"A failure for me would be obviously not getting out of the group stages. If we don't get to the semi, some would see that as a big failure especially with all the talent that we've got and because of those that we’ve left at home.

"They’re out of form but he’s not picked Phil Foden, not picked Cole Palmer, not picked Harry Maguire or Trent Alexander-Arnold. So if we don’t get to the latter stages, the finger will be pointed straight at Thomas Tuchel.

"If that happens I think he'd be gone. Both from The FA side and he'd be gone personally as well. He'll want to get back into club football, he looks like a real club football manager, day to day he wants to be involved in it. Obviously the England job came along, it's a massive job, it's one of the biggest jobs in the world. But if it's not a success, I think both parties will want to part ways.”

Evaluating the tournament favorites, Butt said: “I honestly do think because of the conditions and the heat and the humidity, it’s going to be really tough. We could play Mexico in Mexico City in the last 16.

"It'd be crazy not to look at Brazil or Argentina as favourites. Obviously Brazil aren't the team that used to be with Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos. They've not got superstar names like that, or as many.

"Spain are the favourites and you can see that as they can handle the hit and they'll have a big following. I could see that they'd be there or thereabouts, but for me I've just got Brazil and Argentina stuck in my head. I just think it'll be them.”

England v Japan - International Friendly

Three Lions face immediate test

Tuchel's tactical bravery will be tested immediately when England open their Group L campaign against Croatia at the AT&T Stadium on June 17. The Three Lions, who are also grouped with Ghana and Panama, will need peak performance from captain Kane, who arrives after a monstrous 61-goal season with Bayern Munich.

Rogers remains poised to make an impact off the bench, carrying supreme confidence following an outstanding contribution that powered Aston Villa to Europa League glory.