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Having secured six victories in six games, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated 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 maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we developed and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts 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 imply that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

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

In the 16 matches the trio have played alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that transforms formation when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder 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 creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

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

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

"With his club, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we consider him as a number eight," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the name of balance.