Predicting the England squad for the 2026 World Cup

Thomas Tuchel has selected five centre-backs and five central midfielders from his most recent squad, as well as the first list he called up in March. In the previous three teams, Tuchel often used 4 or 5 players for each position.

This strategy seems reasonable, especially considering the harsh weather conditions England could face in North America next summer.

This week, the "Three Lions" captain shared a lot about the preparation work of him and his assistant team to deal with harsh conditions. He emphasized to the media that substitutions will play an important role, to avoid players having to play too much.

Especially in midfield and central defense, positions with yellow or red cards are very likely to happen, leading to the risk of suspension. Therefore, enhancing defensive ability in the center - both midfield and defense - is inevitable.

Initial signs show that, although it will take 6 months for the final decision, Tuchel is planning to apply a general principle to his options. He will almost always choose two players for each position in the squad for the World Cup.

During the FIFA Days in November, while experimenting with options to replace Harry Kane in attack, Tuchel was asked whether he would consider bringing only one striker to the World Cup. He replied quite decisively, expressing doubts about the idea because he felt the squad would not have the necessary "balance".

If Tuchel had two players for each position, he could have only one "wild card" left in the entire attacking lineup. This means Tuchel can only choose one of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze or Jarrod Bowen.

If Tuchel uses two players for each position, along with three goalkeepers - a mandatory requirement according to FIFA regulations - there will be only three players left for him to choose as a "replacement".

Selecting versatile players who can play in many positions will help free up more space in the squad. For example, if Dan Burn and Ezri Konsa are selected in the center-back position, they can also take on both left-back and right-back.

Similarly, Tino Livramento and Djed Spence can play well on both wings, so the possibility that Tuchel only needs to choose three full-backs to specialize in the final squad is quite high.

Based on this theory, the British media has outlined a framework that Tuchel can apply next summer, based only on the players he has called up for during his current tenure.

Of course, injuries and form may change the plan for the next 6 months, but this seems to be the view of the England head coach.