‘Kane, Bellingham and Foden can’t all play together’: Tuchel !

England manager Thomas Tuchel has barely put a foot wrong in World Cup qualifying, winning all six matches, keeping six clean sheets and securing a place at next summer’s tournament with two games to spare. Yet his latest comments have opened a major tactical debate around three of England’s biggest stars: Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane.

Speaking to TalkSport ahead of Thursday’s home match against Serbia, Tuchel said the trio “cannot play” together if England are to maintain the structure and balance that has defined his early tenure.

“We can play them, but not in this structure,” Tuchel explained. “Not with the balance we’ve developed, and not with specialist wingers in their positions. We play with a six, an eight, a 10 and a nine.”

With Declan Rice excelling as England’s holding midfielder and Elliot Anderson impressing in the eight role, Kane remains the undisputed starter up front. That leaves the number 10 position as the flashpoint in Tuchel’s selection puzzle.

The battle for England’s No 10

Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers has been Tuchel’s preferred choice so far, performing well when Bellingham was recovering from shoulder surgery. Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish and Morgan Gibbs-White are also competing for the creative role.

Tuchel has already warned that he will not take “five number 10s” to the World Cup, stressing that clarity and balance will dictate the final squad.

Can the big three fit together?

Under Gareth Southgate, the answer was yes. Bellingham, Foden and Kane started every match at Euro 2024 as England reached the final, and across 16 games together, they delivered 36 goals between them.

But Tuchel has only played all three once – in his first match, with Foden withdrawn after 74 minutes.

The problem is familiar. Previous England managers struggled to blend elite midfielders, just as Sven-Goran Eriksson wrestled with fitting Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes into one system.

What Tuchel’s system demands

Tuchel favours a 4-2-3-1 that shifts shape in possession. Rogers functions as a dynamic No 10, offering direct running, ball striking and late penalty-area arrivals. Crucially, the system uses “specialist” wingers – Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are currently the first-choice pair, with Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze and Jarrod Bowen in support.

Behind them sits a midfield two: one defensive, one with licence to advance.

Tuchel views Bellingham as a natural No 10 within that framework, mirroring what Rogers provides. Foden’s versatility, meanwhile, creates complication as much as opportunity. The England manager noted Foden could compete as a nine or 10, putting him in direct contention with both Bellingham and Kane.

Possible solutions

There are three realistic ways Tuchel could use Kane, Bellingham and Foden:

1. Foden at No 10, Bellingham benched

2. Bellingham at No 10, Foden benched

3. Foden as a false nine, Kane benched — the boldest option

A fourth, more intriguing route emerged this week when Tuchel hinted Foden might be considered as an No 8. The Manchester City star has increasingly operated in deeper, all-purpose midfield roles under Pep Guardiola.

If used as an eight beside Rice, Foden could free Bellingham to play as the 10, with Kane remaining the nine. This is the only realistic route to fitting all three into the same structure.

The bigger picture

Whether Tuchel opts for that configuration remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: he is willing to drop big names to maintain balance. That may prove England’s greatest competitive advantage heading into the World Cup.