Jude Bellingham says the external "noise" surrounding his place in the England team could help bring out his best form at the World Cup.
One of the major talking points before England's opening group match against Croatia was whether manager Thomas Tuchel would start Real Madrid's Bellingham or Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers in the number 10 role behind captain Harry Kane.
Bellingham got the nod in Dallas and repaid his manager's faith by scoring England's crucial third goal shortly after half-time. Marcus Rashford added a fourth late on as the Three Lions secured a 4-2 victory.
"For me personally, it was nice to put some of the noise aside and just show my country and my team-mates how committed I am to helping us win football matches," the 22-year-old told BBC Sport.
"To contribute, to help my team and help my country is one of the biggest honours. Regardless of the noise outside, that honour doesn't change for me at all."
Bellingham admitted it has been "a bit of a tougher season" for him. The start of his 2025-26 campaign was disrupted by injury, while Real Madrid finished eight points behind La Liga champions Barcelona and his place in the England side came under scrutiny.
However, the midfielder insists he feels "fresh and sharp" heading into the tournament and was encouraged by praise from team-mates, including Jordan Henderson, who described him as England's "X-factor".
When asked whether he had arrived at the World Cup with extra motivation, Bellingham smiled and replied: "A little bit – I think I've got a little bit of a chip on my shoulder, haven't I?"
