Thomas Tuchel, the England national team coach, revealed the names of three players who cannot play together simultaneously because of the team's system and structure.
Thomas Tuchel, England's manager, stated that Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Phil Foden cannot all play together at the same time due to the team's playing system, which he will not change just to accommodate star players.
"At present, if we keep the existing structure, they cannot play together. There is a lot of overlap, especially in the number 10 position. If you consider Phil can play there, you also think of Jude, you think of Morgan Rogers who has performed excellently for us in this position. You have Cole Palmer, you have Morgan Gibbs-White. So, there are many players, and it's possible we won’t select everyone."
"It's not because we dislike them or think they don't deserve their place, but we will always do what's best for the team. We aim to do what's best to win, to maintain balance, and to keep clarity—even if that means making tough decisions."
When asked if Foden’s versatility might help the team, Tuchel replied, "If you are a unique player, you can play in both positions. I think he can play as a number 9 and as a number 10. This gives him an advantage in competing for both positions."
"For Manchester City, he plays almost like a hybrid between number 8 and 10. So, in the coming months, we might consider using him as a number 8."
"But I see a very low percentage chance that we will take five number 10 players to a tournament. I don’t see how that would help."
England is set to host Serbia in the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday night at 02:45 GMT+7.