England’s Thomas Tuchel era begins on Friday with the Three Lions hosting Albania at Wembley in their first 2026 World Cup qualifier.
Tuchel has given little away in terms of team news ahead of the game, and the adaptability he has shown throughout his career makes it even trickier to second-guess his first starting line-up.
Could he lean on the 3-4-2-1 system with two No 10s that he deployed to great success with Chelsea?
Or will England look more like his Bayern Munich side from last season, with a back four and inverted wingers?
Here is a stab at the team he could select:
Goalkeeper
Dean Henderson has performed well for Crystal Palace this season, keeping nine Premier League sheets, as many as Jordan Pickford has for Everton, while Aaron Ramsdale has endured a difficult campaign with struggling Southampton.
James Trafford has recorded a monstrous 26 shutouts in 37 games for Burnley, albeit in the Championship, and is one for the future.
Competition for the No 1 spot is healthy, but it would be a big surprise if Pickford didn’t start Tuchel’s first game, given his form and experience.
Defenders
Tuchel’s full-back options are limited with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Lewis Hall both injured.
Kyle Walker will be 36 by the time the World Cup begins and while clearly not a long-term option, Tuchel may lean on his know-how this time.
At the other end of the spectrum, Myles Lewis-Skelly is uncapped, but the only natural left-back in the squad and could therefore be in line for his debut.
In the middle, Marc Guehi is arguably England’s first-choice centre-back now and may be partnered by Ezri Konsa with neither John Stones nor Harry Maguire available.
Midfielders
Tuchel’s task to find someone to complement Declan Rice starts now.
Central midfield has been a problem position for the Three Lions since Kalvin Phillips’s drop-off, as highlighted last summer in Gelsenkirchen and Frankfurt where Alexander-Arnold started in the middle.
Tuchel sees Jude Bellingham as an “8 or a 10”, which is a profile that could be used to describe Curtis Jones and Morgan Gibbs-White too.
Considering Gibbs-White was a late call-up after Cole Palmer dropped out, Bellingham and Jones appear to be the frontrunners for those roles.
Forwards
Harry Kane scored 44 goals in 45 games under Tuchel at Bayern and has followed that up with 32 in 37 this season.
For all the criticism of his Euros performances, he remains one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Phil Foden has struggled to produce his best form in an England shirt, but Tuchel will be eager to unlock his potential given his quality.
Anthony Gordon impressed off the left under Lee Carsley and should feel refreshed after sitting out Newcastle United’s last two games through suspension.
Predicted England team vs Albania (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Walker, Konsa, Guehi, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Jones; Foden, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
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