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Having secured six victories in six games, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we established and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured together, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that transforms formation when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate as the number nine, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is a potential solution all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we consider him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could categorize him as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.