Thomas Tuchel has hinted that he would be willing to omit big-name players from his starting England starting XI if he feels it better suits the team.
After a largely indifferent start to his Three Lions tenure, Tuchel oversaw a commanding 5-0 win over Serbia on Tuesday to take a major step towards automatic qualification for next summer’s World Cup finals.
Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi and Marcus Rashford were all on the scoresheet in Belgrade as several players shone in what was the finest display of the Tuchel era so far.
The likes of Madueke, Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson all staked a claim to be major parts of Tuchel’s plans with impressive performances across games against Serbia and Andorra.
Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka all missed the matches through injury, and the England boss suggested he would have no issues dropping any big-name player if it benefitted the team.
“I am always brave – you know that,” Tuchel said. “The competition for places is on – if you are in camp, you are in your best behaviour, your best shape, best form and you make the best of it. It’s a privilege to be in camp and then fight for your place … if you can help everyone to be better and to grow. This is what we did.”
“If a big player misses out on a tournament, we need to have solutions; if he misses a camp, we need to have solutions.
“We have to focus on the guys who are available and who are ready to be the best versions of themselves and the best teammate possible.
“This is a team sport and it was teamwork in its purest form against Serbia. The players have the quality to play for us and the hunger to play and everyone gets his chance.”
England require just one more win to secure safe passage to the 2026 World Cup in USA, Mexico and Canada.
They have won all five of their qualifying matches so far, scoring 13 without conceding, and are next in action in games against Wales (friendly) and Latvia (World Cup qualifying) in October.
