Who joins Harry Kane? Thomas Tuchel told key striker decision he must make for England's World Cup squad to avoid risk of failure

Tuchel, fresh from signing a new contract that will take him through a home European Championship in 2028, is the man charged with the task of making huge selection calls - and getting those right.

He has, having previously worked with the most fearsome of No.9s at Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, continued to lean heavily on talismanic skipper Kane when it comes to attacking inspiration.

Kane, who will turn 33 in July, has taken his historic tally of international goals to 78 through 112 appearances. He is being backed to break Peter Shilton’s cap record - which stands at 125 - and potentially cement a standing as the GOAT of England’s men’s national team.

He will lead the line when another global crown comes up for grabs, but who will provide back-up in Tuchel’s ranks? Ex-Three Lions frontman Owen, who scored 40 goals through 89 games for England, believes that two alternatives will be required - outside of Barcelona loanee Marcus Rashford, who can operate down the middle or on the flanks.

Quizzed on what he would do, with the likes of Ollie Watkins, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Danny Welbeck and Dominic Solanke all in the mix, Owen - speaking in association with Chilebets.com - told GOAL: “I would take Kane and another two. I think the squads are big enough nowadays that you can afford to risk three players, or something like that, that you get a good feel for.

“It’s not like we are talking about extra centre-halves or central midfielders. At the end of the day, there is going to be a part of this competition where we need a goal. Ollie Watkins did it at the Euros - comes off the bench and scores.

“If you have got a couple of options if Harry Kane gets injured. Let’s say Harry Kane gets injured/suspended and then you have just got one centre-forward, and then you are drawing or losing with five minutes left, you would be a little bit pig sick if you were turning round and thinking we are going to have to push somebody into an unfamiliar position to get a goal.

“Personally, I would go with three recognised strikers. There is a lot to play for. Ollie Watkins is there, Calvert-Lewin, Danny Welbeck, there are options out there. A lot will depend on form for the remainder of the season.”

England have seen Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham suffer an untimely injury, although he should be back in action long before World Cup plans are finalised. The Three Lions are desperate to avoid suffering a similar fate with Kane.

He is integral to the Three Lions’ plans, with hopes of global glory considered to disappear if the prolific Bayern Munich superstar is missing. Ex-England forward Fraizer Campbell is among those to share that opinion.

He told GOAL recently when asked if the Three Lions could roar without Kane: “It’s a difficult one. You have got Watkins, who is a quality player but he’s not in the same bracket as Harry Kane yet. It would be an issue.

“We have got a lot of good, technical 10s who could potentially play higher up the pitch like a false nine. Rashford has played No.9 before and he’s doing well this season. It would be a big miss for us, but we would have to cope somehow. Maybe come the start of next year we just wrap him in cotton wool and tell him not to play too much for Bayern!”

Kane remains a regular for Bayern at present, taking his goal tally in the 2025-26 campaign to 39 through 34 appearances. He is chasing down domestic and continental honours at club level before turning attention to a World Cup campaign that will get underway against Croatia on June 17.