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Having secured six victories in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"They can but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we established and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and lost three, registering 36 scores and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that alters structure when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate as the central striker, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is a potential solution all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we view him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

Regardless of if Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.