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With six wins from six matches, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.

"Currently, if we keep the structure, they cannot play.

"They might but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played together, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and lost three, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that transforms formation when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom 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 likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"At Manchester City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we consider him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.