The 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico is quickly approaching, in what will be England boss Thomas Tuchel’s first tournament in charge. As is always the case when an international tournament is imminent, England fans are starting to theorise about who the Germans may trust to go for gold.
Many say England possesses some of the best talent in the country’s history, with losses in the last two European championships finals earning Tuchel’s crop of players the ‘nearly men’ title. The departure of Gareth Southgate, who is somewhat of a cult hero among many Three Lions fans, may be less of a positive thing than the naysayers think. Southgate guided his sides to two European finals, along with a quarter-final and semi-final finish in the previous two World Cups. Tuchel may have a renowned reputation as a manager, particularly in knockout competitions, yet he may struggle with the glut of options he faces. Here, we will take a look at who may take those starting spots for the summer.
First names on the teamsheet
It may be a nice problem to have, with the array of talent to choose from, but some big names are likely to miss out on a place on the plane. Along with this, there is no doubt that there will be a few players who will be considered as a shoo-in for a spot in the squad. England’s top scorer and skipper, Harry Kane, is no doubt the first player to be chosen by Tuchel, followed by players such as Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Jordan Pickford and Cole Palmer. Though a starting place may not be locked in for these players, their ability and past performances for England cannot be overlooked.
Tuchel has often opted to leave Bellingham out of his starting XI for the majority of his tenure, somewhat to the musing of many English supporters, but must realise the Real Madrid star man is crucial to success this summer. Morgan Rogers has often been preferred to Bellingham in attacking midfield in the last year or so, with a midfield pivot of Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice seeming a good fit for Tuchel’s plans.
Bellingham’s main issue here is his strength: he can play multiple midfield positions, yet hasn’t seemed to find a permanent role under Tuchel. The former Chelsea boss also seems adamant on his selection of Elliot Anderson, who has played an effective role so far for England, but is simply not at Bellingham’s level.
Bukayo Saka faces a lot of criticism for his performances for Arsenal, but it cannot be denied that he has been incredible for England in the past. Regarding his spot on that right flank, there is not really much competition for that position unless Palmer is pushed out to the right through not being selected in the 10, yet is not as effective as Saka off the right.
Jordan Pickford has been the first-choice goalkeeper for England for the past nine years and shows no sign of being overlooked by Tuchel anytime soon, particularly for this World Cup. James Trafford and Dean Henderson are likely to be understudies for the Everton shot stopper this time out, yet may challenge for the top spot in future tournaments.
Declan Rice has been unstoppable so far this season, putting himself in the running for Premier League player of the season and operating at a world-class level for the Gooners.
Uncertain positions
Most positions may be locked down for this summer, but there are still some that remain open for players to challenge for a spot between now and the end of the season. There has been a steady rotation of right-backs over the last few years for England, involving the ageing Kyle Walker, injury-prone Reece James, and the enigmatic Trent Alexander-Arnold. Walker has taken top spot over the last few tournaments, thanks to injuries to James and Alexander-Arnold, who seem to never be the right fit for England in that position.
All three players offer something different, yet the Chelsea man is likely the most well-rounded player out of the trio. With Walker’s quality having decreased over the last year or two, and making the move to relegation side Burnley, his time as an England first-choice right-back has probably come to an end. Trent has struggled to secure playing time since his move to the Spanish giants, and rumours have even circulated online that his team have been looking for a way out of Madrid. It seems Tuchel favours James as his starter, with the Cobham academy product playing at the level many thought he could since returning from injury.
The centre-back position has been relatively solid for England in recent years, with John Stones the first choice and Harry Maguire also finding success for his nation. The recent European championships featured a new format; however, Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa stood as England’s wall in a campaign that saw them reach the final. Stones’ England career has been rejuvenated under Tuchel, though. As he enters his mid-thirties, he has struggled with injuries recently, but seems to be the favourite option for the German. Manchester City teammate Marc Guehi is likely to be the second starting centre-back, following his recent move up north.
Left-back is an exciting position for England’s future, but issues may arise in selecting for the position at this tournament. Three young, highly exciting talents are potential suitors for the starting spot, including Myles Lewis-Skelly, Nico O’Reilly and Lewis Hall. Djed Spence has also been an option for Tuchel during the qualifying matches, yet may be pipped to the post by the young stars. Nico O’Reilly seems to be Tuchel’s favourite so far, simply going off his past selections, with Lewis-Skelly struggling for game time in North London. All three have their own redeeming qualities, and many fans are likely to be happy with any of them being trusted with the starting place.
The left-wing position has been an area of uncertainty for England in recent years, with an unnatural choice often being made there. However, perhaps England’s strongest player in that position, Marcus Rashford, has had somewhat of a resurgence in his time at Barcelona. Dips in form have meant he has been in and out of the England squad, yet most fans would be delighted to see Rashford play the levels they know he can for his nation. Anthony Gordon is also a player who has been selected in that position recently due to his blistering pace, but has disappointed this season for Newcastle. Should Rashford not be the option Tuchel decides to go with, unconventional players such as Phil Foden, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, and even Cole Palmer may fill that position.
Predicted Starting XI
Though Tuchel’s selections have often been unpredictable, and there is a lot of football to be played this season, this seems the likeliest XI for the opening game against Croatia in June, assuming he plays a 4-2-3-1 formation:
GK: Jordan Pickford, RB: Reece James, CB: John Stones, CB: Marc Guehi, LB: Nico O’Reilly, CDM: Declan Rice, CDM: Jude Bellingham, CAM: Cole Palmer, RW: Bukayo Saka, LW: Marcus Rashford, ST: Harry Kane.