Thomas Tuchel refuses to guarantee Jude Bellingham return to England's leadership group and warns one star not to waste his potential

Thomas Tuchel has suggested there is no guarantee Jude Bellingham will rejoin England’s leadership group if he wins a recall to the squad. 

The head coach named Declan Rice as captain in the absence of Harry Kane for last week’s 3-0 win over Wales. 

Tuchel had listed Jordan Henderson and John Stones as the other contenders for the armband and that quartet have now formed the head coach’s leadership group. Bellingham was part of a similar hierarchy under Gareth Southgate.

However, the Real Madrid midfielder was left out of this squad by Tuchel and there would appear no guarantee he will join the cohort of captains when, and if, he does return to the squad.

‘There is an ongoing thing (with Kane, Henderson, Rice and Stones),’ said Tuchel, speaking in Riga ahead of Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Latvia. 

‘They behave like captains and they are like captains. They are, at the moment, the drivers of the standards and the drivers of the mentality, and the drivers often on the pitch, so they are my captains. 

'If you want to call it a “leadership group”, they are the leaders, they are the drivers of this group at this moment.’

Was Bellingham previously part of the group?

‘He was, he was when he was in camp with us,’ said Tuchel.

Would he be if he returned to the squad?

‘I guess so,’ he replied.

Meanwhile, Tuchel has warned Marcus Rashford not to waste his potential, with the Barcelona forward - on loan from Manchester United - in line for a start at the Daugava Stadium this evening, where victory will seal England’s place at next summer’s World Cup.

‘I think the limit for him is very high,’ said Tuchel. ‘Maybe higher than for others. He has the potential, but potential is a dangerous word with high-level sports. 

'You have to reach your personal best on a regular basis, that is what is demanded on this kind of level and that is the challenge for him.

‘It’s not a question of talent, it’s a question of whether he can prove the point at club and international level. 

'He can be one of the best in the world because of the quality I see in training, the finishing with both legs and with the head. 

'He is explosive, he is fast, he is strong in the air, so where are the limits? There are no limits - but the numbers don’t reach the potential, it is as easy as that.

‘He is still young enough (27 years old) to take the right decisions and not let go. Because otherwise he will be disappointed in 10 years at what could have been and what he made of it.’