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After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

So 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 matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played alongside each other, England have won 10, tied three matches and lost three, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

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

Potential configurations for England's stars

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

Foden could play as the number nine, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is one way all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a number eight," he said.

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

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could position him as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.