Thomas Tuchel fires stark World Cup warning to Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham & Phil Foden as England boss insists trio 'cannot play' together

Many managers would love to enjoy the attacking options at Tuchel’s disposal. The German boss possesses a wealth of talent, but faces the challenge of harmonising them effectively. Harry Kane remains the central figure, though Tuchel must decide how best to integrate other stars. Phil Foden offers versatility, while rising talents like Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer (injured in recent weeks) challenge for creative midfield spots. The competition for places means the final attacking line-up for the World Cup is far from settled.  

The relationship between Tuchel and midfielder Jude Bellingham has been a notable issue. Bellingham was controversially left out of the October squad, with Tuchel citing a need for rhythm and team cohesion. The manager has also publicly commented on Bellingham's aggressive on-field demeanour, suggesting it can be "repulsive" and must be channelled constructively. Bellingham was recalled for the November games, but the saga highlights the pressure on the young dynamo to adapt to Tuchel's structured approach. And that could mean heartbreak for certain stars, with the German tactician saying Kane, Bellingham and Foden "cannot play" together.

Tuchel told talkSPORT: "At the moment, if we keep the structure, they cannot play. They can, but not in the structure, not for the balance that we developed. Not for the structure that also comes with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. At the moment, we play with a No. 6, a No. 8, a No. 10 and a No. 9. 

"There is a lot of congruence, especially in the No. 10 position, if you think about Phil can play there, you think about Jude, you think about Morgan Rogers who played fantastic for us in this position. You have Cole Palmer, you have Morgan Gibbs-White, so there are a lot of players, and there is the chance that we will not take everyone. Not because we don't like (them), not because they don't individually deserve it, but we will always do what's best for the team. We will always do what's best for winning, we will always do what's best for balance, and we will try to keep the clarity, even if it means that we have to take tough decisions. We take tough decisions in any camp, and this will not change when we go to a tournament."

When asked if this decision puts Foden’s place under the most jeopardy, Tuchel replied: "Yes and no. If you're a unique player, you can play both positions. I think he can play the No.9, he can play the No.10, it gives him an advantage to compete for both positions. For Man City, he plays almost like a No.8/10, so maybe during the next months, we consider him as a No.8. But again, I see a very, very low percentage that we take five No.10s into a tournament, I don't see how this will help."

England have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup after securing a first-place finish in Group K with two matches to spare. The Three Lions have so far gone unbeaten in their qualification campaign by winning all six of their games and have two final qualifiers coming up against Serbia at Wembley on Thursday and Albania in Tirana on Sunday.