Tuchel’s selection dilemma grows as Real Madrid’s Bellingham watches from home

It’s hard to find fault with the Three Lions’ qualification campaign for the next World Cup. “England qualify in style” has become a familiar refrain in the English press. With two games remaining and six already played, Thomas Tuchel’s England has booked its ticket to Canada, the United States and Mexico 2026 with six wins, 18 points, two routs, 18 goals scored and none conceded. But beyond the numbers—which are almost impossible to improve—the German coach has managed over the past two international breaks (in September and October) to make England convincing not only in results, but also in style.

The back-to-back 5–0 wins over Serbia and Latvia perfectly capture England’s current momentum. And they came without Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer or Trent Alexander-Arnold—players expected to be the team’s stars. That’s precisely the next “problem” the England manager will have to solve during November’s international break and into next year. A welcome problem, but a problem nonetheless.

England’s defeat to Senegal was a turning point

The humbling 3–1 friendly defeat to Senegal in June—the only loss so far under Thomas Tuchel—ended up being a turning point for the Three Lions. Since then they’ve produced four wins (against Andorra, Serbia, Wales and Latvia), scored 15 goals and conceded none. The energetic, pressing, vertical and cohesive version of England seen in Belgrade and Riga has ignited both fans and the manager himself: relentless high pressing, attacking from start to finish, tireless defensive cover, and fierce competitiveness in every duel.

“Brilliant, brilliant. What a good atmosphere in the dressing room,” Tuchel told ITV Football after the five-goal win over Latvia that sealed England’s place at the 2026 World Cup. “England run riot again. The handbrake is fully off,” wrote BBC Sport. The German called it a “dominant” and “hungry” performance, led by Harry Kane’s two goals. But it also featured a handful of players who, in the absence of several stars, have cemented their spots in Tuchel’s lineups.

Current England line-up looking so solid

Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest looks immovable alongside Declan Rice in the double pivot, playing as if he’d been a senior international for years. The “Geordie Maradona,” who debuted in September at 22, has started the last four England matches, playing the full 90 minutes in three of them. Further forward, Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers has also secured a place. As The Telegraph wrote recently, “He’s the man to beat in the race to be England’s No. 10,” with performances “so strong he could stay ahead of Bellingham and Palmer next summer.” A similar story applies to his Villa teammate Ezri Konsa. Taking advantage of injuries to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James, Konsa keeps giving Tuchel reasons to include him—either at right-back or in central defense.

And they’re not alone. Apart from captain Harry Kane—undroppable after scoring his 75th and 76th goals in 110 caps—England has looked sharper and more cohesive with Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze, Djed Spence and the emerging Anderson and Rogers than with Bellingham, Foden, Palmer and company. Yet Tuchel has no choice but to reintegrate some of the nation’s top talents into a squad that increasingly looks and feels like a true club side.

“Are we a better team with Jude? Yes,” Tuchel admitted at his October press conference, “but as I said before—what do we do if Jude gets injured before the World Cup? Cancel it?” It was the second consecutive camp in which the Real Madrid midfielder, much missed at St. George’s Park, stayed home. Tuchel also mentioned Phil Foden and Jack Grealish as players who “need to keep working hard” to regain their places.”

What next for England

After England’s demolition of Latvia, The Athletic posed three standout questions: “Can the spine of the team stay fit?”, “Will the big names return?” and “Marcus Rashford or Anthony Gordon?” The Telegraph wondered much the same: “England has thrived with a settled lineup over the last two breaks—but what does that mean for Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer?” The Daily Mail went further: “Where does Jude Bellingham stand now that the Three Lions qualify in style? Tuchel must first decide whether to recall him next month. It seems unthinkable not to, but the past week has given him every reason to maintain the ‘continuity’ he’s been preaching. If Bellingham returns, he’ll have to show he’s willing to buy into Tuchel’s idea of England.”

The Mail has even divided potential World Cup travelers into categories—from “On the plane,” “On the runway” and “At the gate,” to “Sweating at security,” “Big names trying to buy a ticket,” “Save the date,” “Book a holiday” and “The wild card.” Perhaps most striking is that players of Foden, Grealish and Alexander-Arnold’s stature are, according to the paper, far from guaranteed a spot on England’s final roster. And that someone like Jude Bellingham isn’t automatically grouped with Kane, Rice, Pickford or Saka.

Thomas Tuchel has already cleared his first hurdle as England manager: qualifying for next summer’s World Cup—the nation’s 17th. The next will be getting his side to play just as well, or even better, once those world-class names return. And the biggest test of all, what the British press calls “the real one,” will be finally turning England’s perennial favoritism into a title in the United States. “If they maintain these performance levels, they’ll have more than a chance there,” The Times concluded.