Three Lions' top talents can't operate simultaneously - what's the verdict?
Having secured six victories out of six, an unbreached defense and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.
Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.
"Presently, if we stick with the system, they won't fit together.
"They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."
From guaranteed positions to competitive roles
England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.
The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?
Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.
In the 16 matches the trio have played alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores 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 young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.
Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.
In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.
So how could Tuchel use these three players?
Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane expected to lead up front.
Foden could feature as the central striker, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.
There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.
"For Man City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months 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 position him as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.
This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the striker.
Regardless of if Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.