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With six wins in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"Currently, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature.

"It's possible but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate as the number nine, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the nine.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.