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With six wins in six games, no goals conceded and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"They can but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we developed and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

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

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played simultaneously, England have won 10, shared points three times and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that transforms formation when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the number nine, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is one way all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could position him as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the nine.

Regardless of if Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.