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After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, 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.

"Presently, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature.

"It's possible but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we developed and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured together, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that transforms formation when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.