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With six wins out of six, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed together, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the number nine, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we view him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.