Mourinho’s Shock Order to Jude Bellingham Leaves England Fans Furious Ahead of Panama Clash

The newly appointed Real Madrid boss has dropped a bombshell — openly admitting he wants his own star players, including Jude Bellingham, knocked out of the World Cup as soon as possible.

By Our Football Correspondent | June 27, 2026

England fans were left stunned and furious on Friday after José Mourinho, the newly appointed Real Madrid manager, publicly admitted that he wants his club’s World Cup stars.including Jude Bellingham to be eliminated as soon as possible so they can return early for pre-season preparations.

The extraordinary comments have sparked outrage across the football world, coming just hours before England’s crucial Group L showdown with Panama at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Speaking with his trademark honesty on the Beast Mode On podcast alongside Adebayo Akinfenwa, Mourinho made no attempt to disguise his priorities.

“want the truth? I want the Real Madrid players to lose and go on vacation because I want the lads back for preseason,” the Portuguese coach said with a wry smile that did little to soften the impact of his words on England supporters.

The remarks have sent shockwaves through the England camp.

Bellingham, wearing the iconic England number 10 shirt and carrying much of the team’s creative burden throughout the tournament, is at the heart of Thomas Tuchel’s attacking plans.

To hear his own club manager publicly express a desire for his early World Cup exit has infuriated Three Lions supporters, many of whom see the midfielder as England’s biggest hope of lifting the World Cup trophy.

The comments are even more surprising given that Bellingham recently welcomed Mourinho’s appointment at the Santiago Bernabéu, describing him as “a top, top coach” and adding, “I’m very happy.”

That public endorsement makes Mourinho’s remarks all the more striking, with many fans questioning why a manager would openly appear to undermine one of his own player’s international ambitions on the eve of such an important match.

The timing could hardly have been more controversial.

England head into tonight’s meeting with Panama sitting top of Group L on four points, knowing that victory would secure first place.

Although Thomas Tuchel’s side opened with a 4-2 victory over Croatia, they followed it with a frustrating 0-0 draw against Ghana a performance that highlighted just how important Bellingham’s creativity could be against a determined Panama side eager to end its tournament on a positive note.

Mourinho’s reasoning is rooted in a practical concern at Real Madrid.

Pre-season at Valdebebas is scheduled to begin on July 13, just six days before the World Cup final on July 19.

With Madrid having 13 first-team players involved in the tournament including Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Jr. and Bellingham the club faces the prospect of beginning preparations without many of its biggest stars.

Mourinho was appointed by Florentino Pérez to restore Madrid’s dominance after two trophyless seasons, making every available day of pre-season preparation increasingly valuable.

To his credit, Mourinho also acknowledged England’s quality, insisting he has long believed they possess the talent to become world champions and praising young stars like Bellingham for their ability to transform the national team’s fortunes.

However, those complimentary remarks have done little to calm the backlash, with many England supporters arguing that his wish for an early elimination completely overshadows any praise he offered.

For Bellingham, the challenge is now to block out the surrounding noise and let his football do the talking.

Despite being named Player of the Match against Ghana, the midfielder remained characteristically humble, suggesting the award probably should have gone to one of Ghana’s defenders for their outstanding display.

That grounded mentality and unwavering focus will be essential as England attempt to book top spot in the group.

Panama may already be eliminated and rooted to the bottom of Group L without a point, but World Cup football rarely offers comfortable evenings.

England still need the right result, and Bellingham will once again be expected to lead from the front.

As for Mourinho, England fans will hope he has to wait a little longer before welcoming his superstar back to Madrid.

Panama vs. England kicks off at MetLife Stadium today, June 27, at 5:00 PM EST / 10:00 PM BST, live on ITV1.