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With six wins out of six, zero goals allowed and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.

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

"They might but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we developed and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we view him as a number eight," 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 number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.