Reason why dressing room was 'happy to see Jude Bellingham back' as same issues resurface

England striker Jude Bellingham has all the potential to fulfil his country's title bid, but it appears some of his Euro 2024 team-mates need some convincing.

Real Madrid splashed out a whopping £95m (which could rise to £120m) for the former Birmingham City player last summer, beating off stiff competition from many of Europe's top clubs. Given that a player of his calibre doesn't come along very often, his departure was a huge blow to Borussia Dortmund and their fans.

However, German newspaper Bild (via The Mirror) reported in August 2023 that not everyone at Westfalenstadion shared that sentiment, with some being “happy to see him go”. Bellingham – who joined Dortmund at 17 and spent three years at the club – left under a slight cloud amid rumours that some team-mates had developed a dislike for certain character traits he displayed.

One point of contention has reportedly been Bellingham's habit of basking in the fans' adoration after the rest of the squad has left, particularly following Erling Haaland's move to Manchester City in 2022. It has been suggested that Bellingham would regularly hang back instead of joining the squad for celebrations, and then enjoy the celebrations on his own.

Another alleged issue involved a perceived lack of respect towards his teammates and his choice of language. Most notably, an incident was highlighted where he criticized Nico Schulz in a very virulent manner during a game against Rangers in 2022.

Despite his rapid integration into Dortmund's management group, some players felt Bellingham was not up to the task. Bild reported that he was not always available to act as a point of contact for his colleagues, but club officials such as Sebastian Kehl refrained from reprimanding him for fear it would jeopardize his move to Madrid.

Nearly a year later, The Athletic reports similar issues within the England camp. A common theme suggests that Bellingham does not have strong bonds with many of his team-mates, with the apparent exception of Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Bellingham, now 21, is an exceptional talent who has the world at his feet. But that does not necessarily match the team spirit that Gareth Southgate – who stepped down as England manager on Tuesday – has worked tirelessly to inspire, abandoning the individualistic mentality that has hampered England teams of the past.

Three Lions icon Wayne Rooney spoke to The Times about this lack of team ethic, suggesting Bellingham was too quick to vent his frustrations on his team-mates. The former Manchester United and Everton talisman noted opportunities in the dull draw with Slovenia where his compatriot's actions worried him.

As at Dortmund, Bellingham has been promoted to the role of leader of the England squad alongside Harry Kane, Kyle Walker and Declan Rice. However, it appears that Bellingham has not taken on some media duties outside of the mandatory Euro 2024 rotation, while more minor figures in the squad have.

“Maybe it's time to grow up, make some decisions and say, 'I need to help and speak out in difficult times,'” Rooney wrote in a column. “Because if England win this Euro, I'm sure you'll see him giving interviews.”

Bellingham has left no doubt about his potential, both in terms of talent and character, to lead England into a new era of success. But some perceived shortcomings at Dortmund, and now with the national team, could prevent him and England from living up to expectations.