England’s 1966 World Cup hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst has voiced his admiration for Jude Bellingham after the Real Madrid midfielder’s light-hearted response to manager Thomas Tuchel’s criticism. Following England’s quarter-final win over Norway, Bellingham brushed off the German coach’s remarks about the team’s performance with a casual ‘whatever’, a comment that sparked plenty of discussion.

Hurst, who famously led England to glory in 1966, expressed his delight at the confidence shown by the current generation. Speaking after the Three Lions booked their place in the semi-finals, the 84-year-old praised Bellingham’s personality and mindset, describing it as a refreshing attitude ahead of their massive semi-final clash against Argentina.

The former striker told the Mirror that he found Bellingham’s exchange with Tuchel ‘fantastic’. He said, “I loved the fact that Tuchel said we were not at our best and that is exciting. Bellingham’s response of ‘whatever’ did make me laugh, that was so funny. I love that attitude, it was a fantastic response. It would not surprise me now if we went on to win the World Cup. The four semi-finalists are exactly the teams most people expected.”

Despite Bellingham’s match-winning display against Norway, Tuchel was critical of the team’s overall showing, leading to speculation about tension in the camp. However, Hurst believes the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager is the right man to guide England to success, even if he would become the first non-Englishman to win the World Cup with the Three Lions.

Hurst acknowledged that no nation has ever lifted the World Cup with a foreign coach but backed Tuchel’s meticulous preparation. He added, “I am sure England and Tuchel will have studied Argentina’s previous matches in great detail. If we do win it with a German manager, we will celebrate him as the greatest since Sir Alf Ramsey, sixty years on.”

Drawing parallels between the current squad and the historic 1966 team, Hurst emphasised the sense of togetherness under Tuchel’s leadership. He believes the team’s unity mirrors the camaraderie that underpinned England’s most iconic football triumph nearly six decades ago.

Reflecting on the current team spirit, Hurst said, “I think they have a very good team spirit. Tuchel talks often about the importance of the group, and that is absolutely vital to success in any field, but especially in football. They have that, and I think that is the most essential factor we had back in 1966.”

Looking ahead to the semi-final against Argentina, Hurst acknowledged the historical rivalry between the two sides. He recalled the fiery 1966 quarter-final encounter, when Antonio Rattin’s dismissal created long-standing tension between the teams, noting that the fixture has carried ‘bad blood’ ever since.

When asked whether he believed football could finally be coming home, Hurst replied confidently, “I do think it is coming home. As a player, you have to be positive — that’s the mindset that helped me achieve what I did in the game. So, can we do it? Yes. Categorically, yes. I’ve been saying this for quite some time.”