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Having secured six victories in six games, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"Currently, if we stick with the system, they won't fit together.

"They might but not in the structure, not for the balance that we developed and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed together, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

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

There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"At Manchester City, he functions as a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.