Tuchel's decision time: Bellingham at No. 10, Saka in the XI? England's questions ahead of their World Cup opener

With hours to go before England's 2026 World Cup opener, head coach Thomas Tuchel has two big questions on his desk. BBC correspondent Phil McNulty, close to the Tuchel camp, reports that two distinct lineups have been trialled in the final sessions.

The first question is Jude Bellingham's position. The Real Madrid star plays at the No. 10 line for his club, but for England he has occasionally been pulled into a deeper link role. In Tuchel's new system Bellingham sits directly behind the attacking trident — the classic No. 10.

The second question is whether Bukayo Saka starts. Arsenal's right winger is on the upward curve of return from a recent injury. Tuchel told the BBC that Saka was "physically about 85%" and that the call had not been taken.

The primary lineup runs through a 4-2-3-1. Harry Kane up front, Bellingham behind him, Saka or Eberechi Eze and Phil Foden on the wings. Declan Rice and Adam Wharton in defensive midfield — both core to Tuchel's calculation.

The second alternative is a 3-4-2-1. In that system Bellingham drops to the half space, with Foden and Cole Palmer forming a second line of attack. Saka can start as a right-sided wing-back in the alternative — a fitness-sensitive position.

The opponent is a familiar test for Tuchel: the first match is against Egypt. BBC pundit Chris Sutton expects England to control Egypt but says an "early goal will matter". The Tuchel camp plans to apply a high three-pass press in the first half-hour.

In his BBC pre-match interview, one Tuchel line stood out on Bellingham: "Giving Jude the freedom to play at No. 10 opens the team's attacking-tempo engine." That sentence signals a Tuchel-shaped preference on attacking mobility.

Saka's inclusion changes the right-side defensive load. Without Saka, England had been producing 60% of its wing pressure from the left. With Saka back in the XI, that balance is expected to shift towards a 45% share on the right.

After an injury-free Premier League build-up, what Tuchel wants from this opener is not just three points but an identity stamp. According to BBC commentators, the system shown in the first half will be the base for every group game that follows.

England's group card hardens after the opening points. The other two opponents — Saudi Arabia and Costa Rica — are physical and organised. The attacking shape revealed in the opener will set the formula for the rest of the group.