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With six wins out of six, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match 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 stick with the system, they won't fit together.

"They might but not in the structure, not for the balance that we created and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars 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 first choices on the wing positions respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and lost three, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

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 key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking 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 retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

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

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

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

There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we view him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.