This Jude is no saint!

Jude Bellingham (left) argues with the referee during the defeat to Senegal on Tuesday. Pic/Getty Images

England manager Thomas Tuchel said his own mother finds some of midfielder Jude Bellingham's antics ‘repulsive,' but he does not want to dim the Real Madrid star's fire.

Tuchel suffered his first defeat in four games as England boss on Tuesday when Senegal became the first African side to ever beat the Three Lions in a 3-1 friendly win.

Equaliser disallowed

Bellingham thought he had equalised proceedings at 2-2 late on at Nottingham Forest's City Ground only for the goal to be controversially disallowed for a hand-ball by England defender Levi Colwill in the build-up. Senegal then broke away for a third in stoppage time. This led to Bellingham venting his frustrations by kicking a water cooler and having a go at the assistant referee. Tuchel and England skipper Harry Kane had to restrain the 21-year-old's protests at full-time with the former saying it is a balancing act to retain the midfielder's natural aggression without it bubbling over.

"Sometimes you see the rage, the hunger and the fire and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive, for example, for my mother when she sits in front of the TV," said Tuchel in an interview with radio station talkSPORT.

"I see that but, in general, we are very happy to have him. He's a special boy," he added.

Madrid star still key player

The German coach dismissed suggestions England could be better off without Bellingham, who starred in the Three Lions's run to the Euro 2024 final. But he called on the Bellingham to inspire rather than intimidate his team-mates.

"He has a certain something and brings an edge. It's needed if we want to achieve big things," said Tuchel.

"It needs to be channelled towards the opponent and towards our goal, and not to intimidate teammates or be aggressive towards teammates or referees. He has the fire… I don't want to dim that, he should play with that as that's his strength.

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