Bellingham set to start, but no Guehi - England's expected team

Ahead of their World Cup opener against Croatia, England manager Thomas Tuchel revealed he has "14 or 15" players in mind for the starting lineup. Although managers typically keep their selections under wraps, Tuchel's choices in the final warm-up game—a 3-0 win over Costa Rica—offer clear clues.

There is a strong belief within the squad that the team which started in Orlando, with perhaps one or two exceptions, will be the one to begin the tournament. This means Jude Bellingham has won the heated battle with Morgan Rogers for the No. 10 role, despite Rogers emerging as a viable alternative. Bellingham's talent and experience at Real Madrid under pressure have tipped the scales in his favor.

More surprisingly, John Stones and Ezri Konsa appear set to start as England's first-choice central defensive pairing, leaving Marc Guehi on the bench. Guehi, who moved from Crystal Palace to Manchester City and was preferred by Pep Guardiola over Stones late last season, seems to fall short of Tuchel's preference for greater physicality—both Stones and Konsa are bigger. However, Guehi is left-footed, while Stones and Konsa are right-footed, which could create a balance issue Tuchel may need to address.

On the right wing, Noni Madueke started ahead of Bukayo Saka in the warm-up. A fully fit Saka would certainly start, but he is still managing a lower leg muscle issue that concerned Arsenal late last season. Tuchel has admitted Saka will need careful management throughout the tournament. Madueke has the manager's trust and could be used to ease Saka into the competition.