Arsenal legend Perry Groves believes midfielder Bellingham is one of the three indispensable players for the Three Lions alongside Declan Rice and captain Harry Kane.

Bellingham was absent from the recent squad called up by coach Thomas Tuchel due to shoulder surgery for a lingering injury. Without him, England struggled and managed only a narrow 2-0 win over Andorra in a match lacking creativity and finesse. Eberechi Eze was assigned to replace Bellingham in the number 10 role but was one of three attacking players criticized by Tuchel, with talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham rating Eze just 3/10.

Groves warned about Bellingham’s importance: "If Jude Bellingham isn’t fit and doesn’t play in the World Cup, I don’t think we have a chance to win. If he’s healthy and performing well, along with Harry Kane and Declan Rice, these three give England a chance. If any of these three are injured or not playing, I don’t think anyone can replace them."

Beyond football matters, Bellingham and his family have been involved in controversial news. His father, Mark Bellingham, approached Dortmund’s Sporting Director Sebastian Kehl when his youngest son Jobe was substituted during his Bundesliga debut. Groves commented: "Jude and Jobe Bellingham should tell their father to stay out of football. What Mark Bellingham did to Jobe embarrassed him in front of everyone."

A recent Daily Mail article titled 'The Dark Side of Mark Bellingham' revealed conflicts between Bellingham’s father and the FA, causing divisions in the England dressing room. Journalist Oliver Holt emphasized that Bellingham is the only star who does not fulfill media duties outside his contract, which worries the FA, but they hesitate to confront his father.

Stuart Pearce once questioned whether Bellingham should be dropped from the squad to preserve team harmony: "Training without Jude will show the coach the atmosphere among players. You have to make tough decisions. Right now, we think dropping Bellingham is crazy. But for the greater good, sometimes the right thing has to be done."

Groves stressed: "Jude Bellingham is world-class. Coaches and managers don’t treat everyone equally. The better you are, the more priority you get because it’s a risk-reward calculation. Players tolerate his behavior because he’s so outstanding."

Given Bellingham’s crucial role in the playing style and dressing room, his availability for the upcoming World Cup is a key factor for England’s hopes of winning the title.