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Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and lost three, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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 strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

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

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

"At Manchester City, he functions as a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

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

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

Regardless of if Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the name of balance.