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Having secured six victories from six matches, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

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

"They can but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

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

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we view him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could categorize him as the number eight, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.

Regardless of if Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.