Thomas Tuchel, the third non-Englishman to take on the role as Three Lions manager, was appointed by the Football Association for one reason: to win the 2026 World Cup. With two qualifying matches to play, England have already qualified for next summer's international showpiece, but there is plenty of work to do, including making some very tough decisions, before the excitement rises.
Widely regarded as one of the best managers in world football, Tuchel was announced as Gareth Southgate's successor and the FA's chief decision makers, Mark Bullingham most notably, have entrusted the German to take on a talented set of players and win international silverware in what will be the first time in 60 years.
England's first – and only! – World Cup triumph came back in 1966 when Sir Alf Ramsey's side beat West Germany 4–2, but can Tuchel emulate the same success six decades on? Between now and next summer, he has plenty of work to do behind the scenes and, recently, he's claimed that three of his most high-profile players are unable to operate together in England's current system.
England's World Cup Qualification Table - Group K
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Tuchel Believes Three High-Profile England Players Cannot Play Together
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So, what decisions does Krumbach-born Tuchel have to make? Jordan Pickford, despite some unfair noise, will be standing inbetween the sticks, though there are ever-growing problems on either side of the backline. Who will partner Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi in the heart of the England defence, too, is a decision that needs to be ironed out ahead of next summer.
Elliot Anderson is also worming his way into Tuchel's engine room constellation, Declan Rice is expected to be one of the few non-negotiable picks heading into the competition and his Arsenal teammate, Bukayo Saka, will surely operate on the right wing.
However, the rest of Tuchel's starting team is up for contention and ahead of England's November round of fixtures – against Serbia on Tuesday 13 and Albania on Sunday 16 – the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich custodian was asked whether the high-profile trio of Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Phil Foden can operate together.
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"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they cannot play," the 52-year-old boss said, per The Herald. "They can, but not in the structure, not for the balance that we developed and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."
Bellingham and Foden, two experienced players on the international scene, have been recalled for England's upcoming Group K double-header against Serbia and Albania – and Tuchel has pulled no punches when describing how he intends to use them both.
He's claimed the Real Madrid ace – who is widely regarded as one of the best footballers on the planet – will be strictly used as a No.10 behind the striker and that Manchester City's Foden is no longer an option on the flank for England. Instead, the 25-year-old is viewed as a mix between a No.9 and No.10.
The latter position is highly contested, though, Tuchel has claimed. Not only the names mentioned, but Southgate's successor named the triumvirate of Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer and Morgan Gibbs-White as also being viable choices in the pocket. He said:
“Especially in the number 10 position, if you think about Phil, who could play there, if you think about Jude, you think about Morgan Rogers, who played fantastic for us in this position. You have Cole Palmer, you have Morgan Gibbs-White, so there’s a lot, a lot of players, and there’s the chance that we will not take everyone. Simply to…not because we don’t like it, not because they don’t individually deserve it, but we will always do what’s best for the team, we will always do what’s best for winning."
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Kane has long been the go-to option at the tail end of the pitch; Gareth Southgate stuck by the Bayern Munich talisman and Tuchel is expected to do so too. Foden will be there or thereabouts to rival for the solitary centre-forward berth while Bellingham, thanks to being able to pop up in high-pressure moments, is likely to be either player's support act.
“We will always do what’s best for balance and we will try to keep the clarity, even if means that we have to take tough decisions," Tuchel continued on the basis that winning the 23rd instalment of the World Cup remains atop of his priority list. "We take tough decisions in any camp, and this will not change when we go to a tournament.”