In the weeks leading up to the World Cup, football pundits in England endlessly discussed who should start as their No. 10: Morgan Rogers or Jude Bellingham. On its face, this was an absurd debate. Rogers, who was key to Aston Villa’s top-four finish, is undoubtedly an excellent footballer. But Bellingham is one of the best players in the world.

He made his professional debut for Birmingham City at the age of 16. When he left a year later, such was the teenager’s impact that the club retired his jersey. Bellingham lasted at his second club, Borussia Dortmund, only three years before Real Madrid came knocking. He had a fairy-tale first season there, playing an instrumental role in their Champions League victory. This World Cup marks his fourth major international tournament with England. He’s still only 23.

In truth, I don’t have enough room to list all his accolades here. Anyway, none of them do him justice. To understand just how exceptional Bellingham is, you need only to watch him for a few minutes. He’s an intense, mesmerizing presence on the pitch — imperial in defense and fearless in attack, a proper, old-school, box-to-box midfielder who runs relentlessly every minute of the game. The first time I saw him play I stopped following the ball and just watched him.

Nonetheless, his place on the England team this tournament wasn’t secure. Despite (because of?) his accomplishments and prodigious talent, rumors started to swirl around Bellingham. He had an attitude problem; he liked a night out a little too much; he was too harsh on his teammates; he was a bit of a bully; he was intolerably arrogant; his fame had gone to his head. (Proof: This Skims ad, featuring a topless, flawless Bellingham doing kick-ups as he gives the camera a hot-blooded stare.) If you need a reason to dislike him, you could take your pick.

Last summer, Thomas Tuchel, the hard-nosed German manager of England (an unthinkable concept not so long ago), added fuel to the fire........

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