"They can't play together" - Tuchel drops bombshell on England's superstars
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 13.11.25. | 15:23
Bellingham returns, Foden battles for a role, and only the fittest and fiercest will make the plane to the United States, Mexico and Canadar
Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden rejoined England's squad for the final qualifiers against Serbia and Albania, even though the Three Lions have already secured their spot at the 2026 World Cup. Yet, for Thomas Tuchel, qualification is merely the start - tonight's clash at Wembley is about forging a team capable of contending for the ultimate prize.
Bellingham, absent since June, returns brimming with motivation, while Foden continues to search for the consistency that has made him a star at Manchester City. Captain Harry Kane remains the undisputed leader of England's attack, but the supporting cast is still in flux. Cole Palmer battles a groin issue, and young talents such as Morgan Gibbs-White, Morgan Rogers, and Newcastle's Anthony Gordon are all pushing to secure a spot on the plane.
Tuchel has made it clear: not all of England's biggest names can feature together.
"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they cannot play," Tuchel told MetroUK.
"They can, but not in this structure, not for the balance that we developed, and not for a structure that also comes with wingers who are specialists in their positions. We currently play with a six, an eight, a ten, and a nine."
The intense competition for the number 10 role epitomizes the challenge. Foden, Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer, and Gibbs-White all vie for that single spot, and Tuchel has warned that some will inevitably miss out.
For England, the stakes go beyond tonight. With only three international windows left before the World Cup - November, March, and the final pre-tournament check - Tuchel is shaping a team that will operate like an army in Qatar. No experimentation, no token appearances. Every player must earn their place.
Expect a lineup built for battle: Pickford - James, Stones, Konsa, Spence - Rice, Anderson - Saka, Bellingham, Rashford - Kane.
Tonight at Wembley, Serbia faces England's full-strength artillery. This is not a farewell show or a friendly. It is a proving ground. For Bellingham, Foden, and the rest, the race for the World Cup plane begins now. Every pass, every run, every goal could be the difference between a ticket to the WC and the heartbreak of missing out.
Tuchel's message is simple: World Cup dreams are forged, not given.
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS - EUROPE
Thursday
20.00: (6.75) Armenia (4.40) Hungary (1.53)
20.00: (6.70) Azerbaijan (4.30) Iceland (1.55)
20.00: (1.02) Norway (20.0) Estonia (65.0)
22.45: (15.0) Andorra (5.80) Albania (1.27)
22.45: (1.30) England (5.80) Serbia (14.0)
22.45: (1.20) France (7.75) Ukraine (16.0)
22.45: (30.0) Moldova (11.0) Italy (1.10)
22.45: (8.00) R.Ireland (4.70) Portugal (1.45)
***odds are subject to change***
