Wales and the two Irelands are not the only ones whose World Cup hopes have reached the knockout stages this week.
Some of England's fringe players will be in the same boat at home to Uruguay on Friday night.
For the sons of Sheffield who came through the Blades’ academy, this international break is not just a second chance, but maybe a last one.
SECOND CHANCE: Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back in the England squad after nearly five years away (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)placeholder image
SECOND CHANCE: Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back in the England squad after nearly five years away (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
"I’ve experienced what it’s like to have it and lose it," said 29-year-old Calvert-Lewin, who was at Euro 2020, but has not worn the Three Lions for five years.
"If I missed this camp, I don’t think I would have been back in the England set-up,” admitted Maguire, four years older and cut from Gareth Southgate's final Euro 2024 squad.
When it comes to this World Cup, some have already fallen by the wayside. Kyle Walker has retired yet Trent Alexander-Arnold has been frozen out. Miles Lewis-Skelly is back with the under-21s – less, perhaps, because Tuchel has gone cold on him, more his Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta. Ollie Watkins and Danny Welbeck's prospects do not look great. Luke Shaw can forget it.
Last week the likes of Maguire, Harvey Barnes, James Garner and Fikayo Tomori might have thought they could too, but suddenly the door has opened a crack for them.
EXPERIENCE: Harry Maguire (Image: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)placeholder image
EXPERIENCE: Harry Maguire (Image: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
For everyone in the 35-man squad for Friday's game and Tuesday's against Japan, there is a chance. Just seeing which fringe players earn starts on the back of training this week will be informative, but for those new to Tuchel, it will be essential to follow it up.
By being held back, Harry Kane, Dean Henderson, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka can consider themselves on the plane. So can Jordan Pickford, John Stones, Jude Bellingham, probably Jordan Henderson and Reece James if fit.
That leaves 10 places up for grabs, if Tuchel even chooses to take that many, plus any opened up by injury.
Such is England's embarrassment of attacking riches, their goalscorer in the last European Championship final, Cole Palmer, has a fight on.
EURO STAR: But Cole Palmer's World Cup place is far from assured (Image: JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)placeholder image
EURO STAR: But Cole Palmer's World Cup place is far from assured (Image: JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)
Phil Foden's lack of Manchester City gametime will not help him, but if he can scrape off the rust, Tuchel will judge on what he does for him. Eberechi Eze's injury is badly timed, particularly given his recent Arsenal form. Can Barnes take his chance after not even making last week’s 35?
O’Reilly's Friday night off, even before scoring twice for Manchester City in the League Cup final, was surely a big sign he is Tuchel’s answer to the left-back problem, but Lewis Hall's call-up is a real opportunity for the most natural left-back in Tuchel's thinking.
Whilst Rice and Anderson ought to be midfield shoo-ins, the thought of a revitalised Kobbie Mainoo and James Garner of Everton staking a claim to join them is exciting.
The centre-back position is intriguing, with Maguire perhaps up against his erstwhile England partner, Barnsley-born John Stones.
Tuchel is a big Stones fan but these days, Pep Guardiola is not. With Guehi cup-tied and Ruben Dias injured, Stones still did not feature in Sunday's League Cup final. Since playing for England against Albania in mid-November, he has just 117 minutes (plus stoppage time) against Premier League opposition, plus cup starts against Salford City and Bayer Leverkusen.
Maguire has started Manchester United's last 10 games, and looked the part. He can provide the defensive leadership and experience England will lack without his fellow Yorkshireman, albeit not the ability as a holding midfielder.
But the really fascinating and potentially very important contest threatens to be at centre-forward.
Kane is England's No 9, but will it be the world-class striker or the worn-out, shadow seen at the last European Championship? Kane has played 164 matches since the summer of 2023, his last proper break.
Even if it is the real McCoy, there is a need for a plan B, maybe C.
That could play to Calvert-Lewin's advantage, but not if he is as loose in his finishing as he has been lately, with no goals in six games despite taking a penalty at Crystal Palace.
If Tuchel wants someone else who can drop off the front and pass like Kane does, Foden will be his man.
But in a season when the Premier League has gone more direct, there is no better route one option than a man who could not have dreamed of even being in contention when Everton released him last summer.
Ten Leeds United goals this season have trumped his dry spell, but with a fit-again Dominic Solanke for company, he will need to back it up.
"Success is never really in a straight line," Calvert-Lewin concluded this week.
True, but for him and others, this camp could be pretty black and white.