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For Bellingham to wants to earn his place back into the English best starting eleven, it would be smart to cut out the nonsense. His response when he saw that he was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the squad members who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you need to comply as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for an outburst. Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team leading by two in a meaningless fixture, with only six minutes remaining and he, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for bringing down Armando Broja. It was not a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been foolish for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible the midfielder would be suspended of the first match of the competition by receiving a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention on Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and while he exchanged a handshake on his way to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach was not impressed.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to score his second goal, but the rest was self-defeating. It is not as if arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

He, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the team this month. In effect he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours with his response to his substitution as England completed a ideal group stage by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

It means the jury is out on whether the squad perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The performance was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach early on. Under him, England have gained the team organization and direction in recent months, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start at this level and the positioning of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a faint echo to City's team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for his teammate in the latter period but at times seemed overly eager to shine. He made many hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England's play was messy during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham squandered possession. His caution occurred when he was dispossessed from Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel introduced Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a corner kick for the captain to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the player change. When the match concluded, the focus was on him. Tuchel walked up from behind and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the English fans. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to grant him centre stage remains in doubt.