Bellingham returns to Real Madrid after Tuchel explains the midfielder's exile

Jude Bellingham has hit the Real Madrid training pitch as he remains with his club side during the international break after being snubbed by England.

The midfielder was not called to for this month's Three Lions squad, despite now being back fit after a shoulder operation. He has played four times for Real Madrid since his return.

Despite playing for his club, though, the 22-year-old has been deemed not needed for his country at the moment with manager Thomas Tuchel opting to stick with the midfield options who helped England beat Andorra and Serbia in September.

The decision has cast doubt over Bellingham's international future, despite the Real Madrid star being one of the most talented players available for Tuchel to use.

It remains to be seen when and if he will be called up again, with one more international break remaining this year - next month - and then no more until the spring.

But Bellingham has done his best not to let the snub get to him, taking to the turf in Madrid in a bid to stay up with the required match sharpness.

He was seen training in the Madrid sun, wearing a bodywarmer and on the ball as he played alongside the likes of Fran Garcia.

The 44-cap England man was also seen in the gym, wearing a white adidas vest as he worked in the gym.

Explaining his reasons for Bellingham's omission, Tuchel revealed he has spoken to the star on the phone already.

'The last camp was only three and a half weeks ago,' Tuchel said. 'Teamwork, team spirit were at the highest level so far. That's why we decided to invite the same group into this camp, to make more stable what we started to build.

'Are there players out there who deserve to be with us? Yes, for sure. Is there a way back into the team through performance? 100 per cent. We think this is the best and most straightforward position. The competition is on to be in the squad and to make it onto the pitch.

'I understand your focus on Jude. He is a very special player, and for special players, there are special rules.  But for this camp we decided to stick with out decision to invite the same team, that also applies to Jude. He always deserves to be in camp.

'There is also the situation that he hasn't gathered his full rhythm for Real Madrid. He hasn't finished one full match until now; he has only started one now. He is getting back to full strength. We had a phone call. There is no issue from that side, he just lacks rhythm.'

Tuchel's relationship with Bellingham has been in the spotlight since June when the German revealed that his mother, Gabriele, finds the midfielder's on-field demeanour 'repulsive' after the England star kicked a water cooler in rage following the Three Lions' defeat by Senegal.

In addition too, the 52-year-old said Bellingham can intimidate team-mates because of his manner.

When it was put to that England could be better off without Bellingham, he told talkSPORT: 'I struggle to see that. I think he brings an edge, which we welcome and which is needed if we want to achieve big things.

'(But) the edge needs to be channelled toward the opponent, towards our goal and not to intimidate team-mates, or to be over aggressive to team-mates or referees. He has the fire. I don't want to dim this down. He should play with this kind of fire, that's his strength.

'But the fire comes also with some attributes that can intimidate you, maybe even as a team-mate.

'You see sometimes the explosion towards referees and the anger in his game, so if he can channel this in the right way, and we can help him in this, then for sure he has the something that we need. He has a certain edge that is hard to find.

'But I see that it can create mixed emotions. I see this with my parents, with my mum, that she sometimes cannot see the nice and well-educated and well-behaved guy that I see.

'If he smiles, he wins everyone. But sometimes you see the rage 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. I see that, but in general we are very happy to have him.

'He is a special boy. He is a nice kid and very open, very intelligent - and very easy (to manage), so far.'