The Dead End for England's Trio Bellingham, Foden, and Kane

LONDON, WEDNESDAY — England national team coach Thomas Tuchel stated that the attacking trio of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Phil Foden will not be played together in the near future. Tuchel prioritizes his developing playing system over accommodating star players.

That shocking statement was made by the coach ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Serbia at Wembley Stadium, London, England, on Friday (14/11/2025) at 02:45 WIB. "Currently, if we maintain the existing structure, they cannot play together," said Tuchel.

"The Three Lions," as they are known in English, have recently employed a 4-2-3-1 formation. The two central midfielders are filled by Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson. Tuchel is satisfied with this pair of players who can assist in both defensive and offensive roles. Their positions are secure.

As a result, there are only two positions left for the trio, namely striker and attacking midfielder. Tuchel does not see Foden as a winger, as he was often deployed during Gareth Southgate's tenure. Foden must compete for the attacking midfielder or "number 10" position with Bellingham.

According to Tuchel, England will lose their balance in play if they accommodate those three players simultaneously. Bellingham and Foden are too offensive to play as holding midfielders. Meanwhile, Kane, Bellingham, and Foden form England's front trio in the final of the 2024 European Championship.

"They can perform together, but not with the current structure, not for the balance that we are developing. Nor for a structure where the wingers who play are specialists in their positions," explained the coach from Germany.

According to Sky Sports data, the “Three Lions” have indeed scored more goals on average when the trio plays, with 2.3 goals in 16 matches since 2021. However, England’s win rate is only 56.2 percent, lower than when one or more of them are absent (63.6 percent).

The competition for the "number 10" position has become very intense. In addition to Foden and Bellingham, England still has Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Eberechi Eze. According to Tuchel, he will not take all of these players to the World Cup.

Bellingham has just been called up to the England squad again after last being included in June 2025. Foden has been absent for an even longer period, since March 2025. During that time, the role of attacking midfielder for England has been filled by Rogers. The 23-year-old player from Aston Villa has played in all eight matches under Tuchel.

Tuchel is very pleased with Rogers' performance, which successfully led England to the World Cup. As a result, before competing for a position in the main squad, Bellingham and Foden actually have to surpass Rogers first. Furthermore, Tuchel is more interested in performance trends than in big names.

The competition in England's frontline reached its peak about eight months before the World Cup. "Rather than searching for positions just to accommodate our best players, it is better to place them in their best positions and let the competition arise," concluded Tuchel.

In Group K, England has been confirmed to top the final standings with two qualifying matches remaining. They have recorded 18 points, followed by Albania (11 points) in second place. Therefore, the matches against Serbia and Albania will have no impact on Kane and his teammates.

These two matches could serve as an experimental platform for Tuchel and a stage for proving oneself for Bellingham and Foden. In addition to the prominent names returning, England is also welcoming two young midfielders, namely Alex Scott (Bournemouth) and Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace).

"I am very grateful to be here, surrounded by many great players whom I have watched and idolized since childhood. I must demonstrate my abilities. This is a short training camp and there are two matches in which I must perform to the best of my ability," said Scott, 22 years old, regarding his first call-up to the senior national team.

Scott and Wharton have been called to enliven the competition for the defensive midfielder position. Although Rice and Anderson have already formed a solid partnership, Tuchel is still seeking a backup or alternative for that duo. Scott and Wharton caught the coach's attention due to their impressive performances in the Premier League.

From the back line, Tuchel has left Arsenal wing-back Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has rarely had the opportunity to play at the club level this season. Wing-back Nico O’Reilly, who has started to receive regular playing time with Manchester City, is likely to be given the chance to make his debut for the national team. (AP/REUTERS)