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Having secured six victories out of six, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"They might but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we established and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and lost three, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"For Man City, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the interest of team harmony.