Eighteen months after taking the job, Thomas Tuchel finally gets to see what his England team is made of. Wednesday’s World Cup opener against Croatia in Dallas isn’t just the start of a tournament — it’s the first real test of a squad built around a few obvious certainties and a handful of nagging questions.
The qualifying campaign was flawless: no draws, no defeats, no goals conceded. But friendlies have been less convincing, and even now, with kickoff hours away, Tuchel hasn’t locked in his best XI. According to reports out of the England camp, the manager has been leaning toward John Stones and Ezri Konsa as his center-back pairing — a decision that would prioritize height and physicality, especially on set pieces, which Tuchel has repeatedly stressed as a key weapon in this tournament.
Jordan Pickford starts in goal. Reece James and Nico O’Reilly are the full-backs, and both will be asked to push forward. James has spent much of this season in midfield for Chelsea, while O’Reilly has done the same at Manchester City — so expect them to drift inside and help build play alongside Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice.
The biggest debate, however, is on the left wing. Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford are competing for the spot, and the dynamic is unusual. Gordon signed for Barcelona just days before flying to the U.S. for the World Cup, effectively replacing Rashford, who spent the season on loan at Barcelona but won’t stay. Rashford must find another club rather than return to Manchester United, where relations broke down last season.
Statistically, they’re hard to split. Rashford posted 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances for Barcelona. Gordon wasn’t far behind, with 17 goals and five assists in 43 games for Newcastle. Gordon impressed in a recent friendly against Costa Rica, but Rashford’s experience on this stage and his natural striker instincts may give him the edge, especially since Harry Kane often drops deep, leaving space for a winger to run into.
Gordon could still prove valuable as a penalty specialist late in games — though Rashford’s career record from the spot is strong, he hasn’t taken many recently. The thinking, per insiders, is that England might prefer Gordon on the pitch during extra time.
Jude Bellingham is expected to start in the No. 10 role, despite some tension last autumn when Tuchel took a hard line on including the Real Madrid midfielder in the squad. But Bellingham is a leader for England — someone who can relieve pressure on Kane both with runs beyond the striker and by taking responsibility on the field.
Bukayo Saka starts on the right, though Tuchel has hinted fitness issues could limit his minutes. Noni Madueke, who starred in England’s 5-0 thrashing of Serbia during qualifying, could be crucial off the bench — and might even push past Saka later in the tournament if the Arsenal winger struggles for sharpness.
Kane, of course, leads the line. The England captain scored 61 goals and added seven assists for Bayern Munich this season. He’s chasing the Golden Boot, the Ballon d’Or, and — most importantly — a World Cup title in North America.
Off the bench, expect Madueke and whichever winger doesn’t start to inject fresh energy. Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze will likely come on if England needs a goal. Kobbie Mainoo may get minutes in midfield. With Tino Livramento ruled out, Djed Spence is the only reserve full-back — which could be vital given James’s history of injuries.
The omissions of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, and Cole Palmer raised eyebrows, but the result is a lean bench without star names stewing over playing time. That might make Tuchel’s life easier over the next few weeks — starting Wednesday against Croatia.
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