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Should Bellingham hopes to fight his way once again into the English best squad, the smart move to do away with the nonsense. His response when he saw that he was about to come up following a night of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the squad members who come in," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you must accept them being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a tantrum. The captain had recently scored to make England 2-0 up in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. It was not a questionable change. In fact it would have been unwise for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible he would rule himself out of the first match of the competition by getting a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the player's disappointment upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and although he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the touchline it was clear that the manager did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He praised Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to score his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. There was no chance complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The German has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the squad this month. In effect his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours with his response to being taken off as the side completed a flawless qualification run by defeating a feisty challenge from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

As a result the jury is out on how the team function at their best when Bellingham plays. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager at the start. He has given England a clear system over the past few matches, using a holding player, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was handed his international debut, the midfielder made his first start for England and the use of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a similar look to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eze during the second half but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent at the beginning. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution occurred when an opponent took the ball from Broja and fouled the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately England’s depth proved crucial. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who seemed better suited to the spot occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner kick for Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

However, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, everyone was watching him. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed the player towards the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard Bellingham yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to grant him the central position remains in doubt.