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Having secured six victories out of six, zero goals allowed and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

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

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we developed and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed together, England have won 10, tied three matches and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the number nine, 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 functions as a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we view him as a central midfielder," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the number eight, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.