England have secured their place at the World Cup next summer after a comfortable 5-0 win over Latvia on Tuesday Night. Two goals from Harry Kane, as well as goals from Anthony Gordon, Eberiche Eze, and an own goal, saw Thomas Tuchel’s men cruise to their sixth win out of six qualifying matches. It gives the Three Lions a seven point lead at the top of Group K, with Albania in second having just two games left to play.
The formality of qualifying is now out of the way, and with just six matches left before England start their World Cup campaign, Tuchel needs to find out his best team, now.
There is no doubt that on June 11th 2026, or whatever day England play their first match, an hour before kick-off, fans will look at their phones or see their television screens displaying a line-up they disagree with. It is one of the divine rights that comes with being England manager, whatever team you pick in a major tournament is the wrong one. However, as Tuchel knows, it doesn’t matter what the fans think, what matters are the results, and to get the results he will need to know his best team before the tournament starts. So, what are the things he does know about his team, and the things he doesn’t, as we sit eight months out from the biggest tournament in the world.
The Supposed Jude Bellingham Conundrum
There seems to be a strange narrative around Jude Bellingham at the moment. A lot of the speculation around Tuchel and Bellingham’s relationship started after a storyline stemming from Tuchel using the word ‘repulsive’ when describing Bellingham’s attitude, when in actual fact the England manager used that word to describe his player’s ‘fire’ that he plays with, an attribute Tuchel likes and says Bellingham should play with. The word ‘repulsive’ was not the smartest thing to say, but given English is not the first language of the Three Lions coach, it is easy to understand that he did not mean his comment in a malicious way, but the media ran with the narrative nonetheless.
Since then, there seems to be an idea that Bellingham won’t start at the World Cup. Of course, he wasn’t in the latest squad, but he only returned to the Real Madrid squad in the latter part of September after a shoulder surgery in July, which corrected an injury he had been suffering with since November 2023. Now, many people would have had Bellingham in the squad to get him back up to speed with the team, even if he didn’t play, but Tuchel clearly wanted an extra space. In his press conference after the latest squad announcement, the German said that Bellingham gives England a better chance of winning the World Cup and is one of the best midfielders in the world, while also stressing that the team needs to be able to win the tournament even if one star player, such as Bellingham, is injured and misses the tournament.
Many fans seem to have forgotten how blessed England are to have a player like Bellingham. At 22-years-old, he has had two elite seasons at Real Madrid, winning the Champions League and La Liga, as well as finishing third in the Ballon d’Or in 2024. Then, for England, if some say he has not done performed at the same elite level, they need go back and watch the 2022 World Cup, where he was one of the best players in the tournament at just 19 in what was Gareth Southgate’s strongest team. While Bellingham wasn’t necessarily at his best throughout Euro 2024, the criticism he faced seemed very unfair given that he scored the winning goal in a group game, scored an overhead kick to save England’s tournament, and assisted his team’s only goal in the final. The narrative formed around this wonderkid has turned from slightly negative to outright ridiculous, and Tuchel needs to silence it before it grows any larger. In November, during the next international break, Bellingham needs to be picked and needs to start, because he will be starting at the World Cup, there is no doubt about that.
The Adam Wharton/Elliot Anderson Position
Many feel that England have been missing the type of player that can receive the ball from the back line, work their round the press, and turn defence into attack on the transition seamlessly. A press-resistant midfielder is not necessarily the archetype of player in England like it is in Spain, for example, which is potentially why England have struggled to maintain control of big games in previous major tournaments such as Croatia 2018, Italy 2021, and Spain 2024. However, it seems now as if England have found not only one, but two of those players.
The first, Adam Wharton, has been sensational for Crystal Palace over the last few seasons. He starred in their FA Cup win in 2025 and went to the Euros with England in 2024, but didn’t get a minute. In a world where Southgate was still in the England role, he probably would have envisioned Wharton as the man in midfield that was going to help England dictate games against stronger opposition, but under Tuchel, Wharton was left out of the latest squad, and still remains with just one cap to his name. There is no doubting Wharton’s technical ability, just ask Jack Grealish, also left out of the England squad, after some good form, who said after Everton’s 2-1 win over Wharton’s Crystal Palace, that the man of the match ‘should have gone to Adam Wharton’. The concern about Wharton comes from his natural physical attributes and, whether you agree with that or not, that is why Tuchel has favoured Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, who is also very good player, technically.
Despite Forest’s bad form, Anderson has been terrific this season, and also impressed against Wales and Latvia in the latest set of England matches. It is obvious that Tuchel favours the Forest midfielder at the moment, but the England manager still needs to give Wharton a chance to prove himself properly for his nation. The Palace man is probably the best midfielder England have in terms of close control in tight areas and, while Anderson has impressed, the decision should not yet be final as to who is taken to America. Many fans probably feel both should be taken on the plane, but one thing is for sure, only one will start, but as of now, only one has been given the chance to prove himself.
The Full Backs
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s move to Real Madrid has not gone as well as he would have liked. He has been left out of the last few England squads and, unless he picks up form for the Spanish club, it would not a surprise to see him miss out on the next few, and therefore the World Cup, despite his obvious talent. Over the latest break, Djed Spence started at right back for England against Latvia. While Spence is certainly a candidate for the squad, Reece James is likely Tuchel’s first choice for the right side of the back line if he stays fit. Of course, James and Tuchel won the Champions League together with Chelsea in 2021. Of course, given Trent’s ability, he could well fight back to claim his place as England’s best option at right back, but he never really managed to secure a proper first team spot under Southgate, so it will be tough to do so under Tuchel.
While James seems the natural pick at right back, left back poses more of a dilemma. Spence, who has played the position for Tottenham, started their against Wales, before Myles Lewis-Skelly took the spot against Latvia, with Spence on the right. Dan Burn is another option at Tuchel’s disposal but given the Newcastle man doesn’t provide as much of a forward threat as the other two mentioned, it is hard to see him starting for England next summer. On the other hand, Burn has nailed down his spot as starting left back for his club, unlike Lewis-Skelly and Spence. If Lewis-Skelly can get a good amount of minutes under his belt at Arsenal, he would likely be most people’s first choice, along with Tuchel’s.
There are some certainties amongst the England side. If fit and barring a drastic change in form, Harry Kane will start. Jordan Pickford will without a doubt make it five tournaments in a row as England’s number one. Declan Rice is a certainty in midfield, and Marc Guehi and John Stones will be the centre back pairing looking to transfer England’s impressive defensive record under Tuchel into a major tournament.
Of course, there are many more debates that could be had with England’s squad at the World Cup next year. Should Foden go? Should we try and fit Palmer and Saka in the same team? Should Rashford or Gordon start on the left? Many questions that won’t be answered until England start their campaign to end 60 years of hurt next summer.