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With six wins out of six, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"Currently, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we established and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections 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 started all of England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"With his club, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we view him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

Regardless of if Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.