Kyle Walker has named the starting XI he believes gives England the best chance of winning the 2026 World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel's men will face Croatia, Ghana and Panama in the group stages before facing a daunting route to the final in the knockout rounds. Following pre-tournament friendly wins against New Zealand and Costa Rica, the majority of the line-up looks set in stone.
However, there are still a few positions up for grabs ahead of Wednesday's opener against Croatia. Walker, who played 96 games for the Three Lions, has had his say on who should fill those available slots.
Kyle Walker Makes Big Calls in His England XI
Jude BellinghamLee Smith via Reuters
There was no doubt in his mind that Jordan Pickford should continue in between the sticks. The Everton shot-stopper's place hasn't been in doubt after being crucial in the last two World Cups. "What he's done for England is completely outstanding," Walker said.
Reece James and Nico O'Reilly appear nailed-on to be Tuchel's starting full-backs this summer, and Walker fully agrees with that decision. Three players are in contention to play at centre-back, but Walker opted to leave Ezri Konsa out of his XI in favour of Man City duo Marc Guehi and John Stones.
He explained: "I'm going with John [Stones] and Marc [Guehi], just because of their club experience. They have the knowledge of playing together."
In midfield, Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson are as good as guaranteed a place in the team, but it's less certain who will start as the more advanced midfielder. Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers is pushing for a place ahead of Jude Bellingham after an impressive season.
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However, Walker would stick with his old teammate. He believes Bellingham is a 'big player' who always produces on the biggest stage. The defender said:
"Looking back to the Euros, we were digging in a little bit and he kept on coming up with important goals. That bicycle kick, if that doesn't go in, we don't make it through.
"Big players step up in big moments and I think he can deal with pressure."
The 36-year-old also thinks Marcus Rashford should be the third attacker alongside Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane for the opening game against Croatia. Speaking in glowing terms about the Manchester United forward, he said: "Marcus is someone that I've had the pleasure of playing with for a number of years now. He can create something out of nothing."
Walker on Thomas Tuchel's World Cup Mistake
v England manager Thomas Tuchel looks on vs New Zealand
While Walker is complimentary about many of the Three Lions' star men, he has also been vocal about the players he thinks should've been included in Tuchel's squad. Man Utd's Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw were deserving of a seat on the plane.
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Details from the match, including who played, who impressed and the goal scorers, have emerged.
He told The Sun: "Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw have had probably their best seasons for Manchester United in a long time and are now not at a tournament. I do think Luke Shaw, for me personally, should have been on the plane. And I do think that Harry Maguire should have been on the plane."
Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 13-06-26.