How England SHOULD line up against Croatia in 2026 World Cup opener: Thomas Tuchel is right to pick Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon while resting Bukayo Saka makes sense - but Three Lions boss making wrong call in defence

There are a few names that pick themselves in this England team, and Jordan Pickford is one of them. He may have his critics at a club level, but the Everton 'keeper always seems to show up for England.

In truth, he has had credit in the bank for the best part of a decade now. After all, being the victorious goalkeeper in a penalty shootout is a rare feat for the Three Lions. In fact, Pickford's four saves in shootouts since 2018 are double what his predecessors managed in the 22 years before that.

But he is far more than a penalty specialist. Pickford is an adept shot-stopper, fine distributor, and a true leader for this side. James Trafford might yet be the man to succeed him long-term, but until he gets regular minutes at a club level, this is Pickford's spot to lose.

In an ideal world, this would be a straight shootout between Reece James and Trent Alexander-Arnold. But after a poor first season at Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold has rather fallen out of the picture. And with Tino Livramento picking up an untimely calf injury, this spot is now surely James' to lose.

That is no bad thing - he is a truly terrific full-back. There will be some injury concerns, but the Chelsea captain's level cannot be questioned.

If he had been named to the squad, there would be a fairly compelling argument that Harry Maguire should start for England. But the Manchester United man has been left at home, with Tuchel, apparently, preferring other options.

Konsa isn't a bad choice whatsoever. He has really come into his own for Aston Villa, and has developed into one of the more well-rounded centre-backs in England. There will be questions about his ability to win headers, but he is an excellent tackler, reads space well, and has some valuable recovery pace.

All reports seem to suggest that Marc Guehi will not start for England at the World Cup, and that is pretty baffling. For long stretches of the season - and perhaps the last 18 months or so - he has been England's best centre-back.

For Crystal Palace, he was an excellent last-ditch defender, adept in either a back two or back three. His move to Manchester City saw him struggle early on, but he soon settled after making the step up in quality.

Tuchel instead looks to have opted for Guehi's team-mate Stones, but his injury record and lack of fitness should have ruled him out of conention.

Left-back has been an issue for England for a while now. The Three Lions haven't been fully set at the position since Luke Shaw's impressive Euros in 2021, and having an in-form, fully fit left-back who can hold down the position has been hard to come by.

And so we arrive at Nico O'Reilly, who isn't really a left-back. He is, in fact, a pretty classic Pep Guardiola experiment, an attacking midfielder molded into something completely different for his ability on the ball. It has worked a charm, too, with O'Reilly's attacking instincts proving crucial in a number of big games for Man City this past season.

His defensive capabilities can be questioned - if only because he doesn't have to do all that much of it at City. But this is the most comfortable England can feel with their choice of left-back in some time.

Elliot Anderson is not a particularly sexy footballer, but he adds crucial balance to this England team. The Nottingham Forest midfielder is good at pretty much everything - without being a true specialist.

And for England, that is a good thing. Anderson is the connective tissue that draws his fellow midfielders together. He, more than anyone, will determine if England are remembered as a group of talented individuals or a reliable team.

Is an explanation even needed here? Declan Rice is the best midfielder in the Premier League, and among the best in the world. He has been a regular for England for two tournaments now, and that shouldn't change here.

The good news? He can probably get forward a little bit more with Anderson to play in a deeper role. Rice will be in this team, no matter what.

With all due respect, the Rogers-Bellingham debate shouldn't even exist. Rogers is a fantastic footballer who worked wonders for Aston Villa, and he will probably transfer for a lot of money to a massive club this summer.

Bellingham, however, is transformative. The Real Madrid man has his critics, but his raw talent, ability to read the game, and eye for goal make him one of England's most important player. If Bellginham enjoys a good tournament, there's a decent chance England make a run.

On any normal day, with fitness concerns removed, Saka is a clear starter, and true difference-maker for England. He has a good record in tournaments, too.

But Saka cannot stay fit. He struggled with injuries throughout the back end of last season, and it showed, as his levels consistently dropped. A pretty miserable showing in the Champions League final rather summed it all up.

Madueke, effectively his back-up at Arsenal, is not as good, but his legs are fresher. And given Tuchel likes runners, Madueke is the right fit - even if that feels like a bit of a downgrade.

Does this even need explaining? Tactical nirvana would be playing Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins in the same team, with the former as a No.10 and Watkins running in behind. It would certainly be fun to watch, but requires far too much tactical preparation.

Keep it simple, then. Kane up front.

Ironically, England's two best left-wingers play for the same club - or at the very least are passing one another at the dressing room door.

Marcus Rashford was excellent at times for Barcelona this past season, making his impact known with a series of match-winning performances. It doesn't look like that will be enough for the Blaugrana to make his move from Manchester United permanent, however.

That is because Barca have since signed Anthony Gordon. A similar profile of player, Gordon is a field-streching left-winger who can score a few goals.

There is no wrong answer for England here, but Gordon should get the nod, if only because he is a better presser than Rashford.