Kyle Walker explains why starting Jude Bellingham is key to England's World Cup hopes amid calls for Real Madrid star to be benched

The Three Lions concluded their public World Cup preparations with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in Orlando, where Bellingham started in the number 10 role. The Madrid playmaker looked exceptionally sharp, initiating the sequence that led to Anthony Gordon's second-half penalty. However, internal competition remains fierce within Tuchel's squad, with Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers heavily pushing for a starting berth and Marcus Rashford challenging Gordon down the left flank.

Writing in his column for The Sun, the former Manchester City defender, who retired from international duty with 96 caps, analysed the tactical debate. Walker wrote: “It is obvious Thomas Tuchel has some big dilemmas in key positions. There’s the argument about who should play in the number ten role, Jude Bellingham or Morgan Rogers. And there’s the debate about the left side between Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford.

"For me Jude just has the edge at the moment and that’s no detriment to Morgan. I played with Morgan when he was on the way up at Manchester City and he went on loan to the likes of Blackpool. He really put in the work and it speaks volumes for him that he’s now competing with Jude for an England starting place at this World Cup.

"Morgan was moved on by City, because he had established players in front of him like Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne and of course Cole Palmer, who also moved on himself in the end. But you could see in training the potential he had so he hasn’t surprised me. He’s a big physical presence. Morgan went from strength to strength doing well at Middlesbrough and then really making his mark at Aston Villa to the point where he is now a European champion and has come on leaps and bounds.

"This is just the start for Morgan Rogers. But the thing about Jude is his amazing presence on the field that makes defenders so worried. And for Morgan to be in the same bracket is a massive credit to him.”

England have been drawn in Group L alongside Ghana, Panama and a formidable Croatia side that previously eliminated them from the 2018 semi-finals. Warning against any complacency, Walker added: “We’ve got Croatia in the first game and I would never underestimate them.

"I have that memory of losing to them in the World Cup semi-final in 2018 and they have got a better side than the one we beat at the Euros in 2021. Some of their older players have retired and they have good youngsters coming through. They’ve also proved that when it comes to World Cups they are capable of big surprises, having knocked Brazil out of the quarter-finals in 2022.

"There will be a bit of anxiety among England’s players building up to that first game but that’s natural. It’s always the same when you’ve finished the warm-up and the big test is round the corner. You just want that whistle to blow so you can get on with it.

"When I played for England I trusted the players around me and I like to think they trusted me. Our togetherness was so important. Hopefully they’ve developed that and we can all be celebrating come the end of the competition.”

Tuchel's side will wrap up their preliminary preparations with a private, behind-closed-doors fixture against Miami FC to fine-tune strategy and award peripheral squad members crucial playing time. The technical staff must manage early tournament anxiety while finalising their starting eleven for the rigorous test ahead.

England officially launch their World Cup campaign against Croatia at the Dallas Stadium on June 17, where their newfound tactical cohesion will be instantly tested.