Bellingham set to start, but no Guehi: England's expected lineup vs

England manager Thomas Tuchel has indicated that he has "14 or 15" players in mind to start the World Cup opener against Croatia next week, and the team that began the final warm-up match against Costa Rica on Wednesday is expected to be close to the starting XI for the tournament opener, barring one or two exceptions.

Bellingham wins No 10 role

Jude Bellingham is set to start in the coveted No 10 position ahead of Morgan Rogers, according to sources within the camp. The Bellingham-Rogers debate has been one of the most fiercely contested heading into the tournament. Bellingham's ability and history of producing special moments for England are unquestionable, and his experience playing in the high-pressure environment at Real Madrid has fueled the belief that he should start. However, Rogers' emergence as a viable option in the central attacking role created some uncertainty. Nevertheless, with the team that started the 3-0 win over Costa Rica expected to be largely the same against Croatia, Rogers will likely have to settle for a place on the bench.

Defensive surprise: Stones and Konsa ahead of Guehi

John Stones and Ezri Konsa are expected to start as England's first-choice central defensive pairing, a decision that would come as a shock given the widely held view that Marc Guehi was the team's primary centre-back. Guehi, who moved from Crystal Palace to Manchester City, was picked ahead of Stones by Pep Guardiola during the final months of the season, though Stones' campaign was heavily disrupted by injury. Guehi became central to England's plans during Euro 2024 and his ascendancy at international level was expected to continue under Tuchel. However, there is an emerging feeling that Tuchel prefers more physicality in his central defensive pairing, with Stones and Konsa being bigger than Guehi. Balance may also be a factor: Guehi generally plays as the left-sided central defender, while Stones and Konsa are both right-footed, which could be an issue Tuchel considers heading into the Croatia contest.

Saka fitness concern; Madueke likely starter

On the right side of England's attack, Noni Madueke started ahead of Bukayo Saka against Costa Rica. A fully fit Saka would almost certainly start ahead of his Arsenal teammate, but Tuchel has admitted that Saka will need to be managed during the tournament as he still feels the effects of a lower leg muscular issue that prevented him from playing a full part in Arsenal's season run-in. There was genuine concern at the Emirates Stadium towards the end of last season that Saka would miss the final weeks of the campaign, and there remains concern at Arsenal about his fitness given he is currently not under their auspices. There is hope, however, that Saka's fitness is improving day by day in the United States. If England were playing in the knockout stages today, Saka could potentially start but might not finish the game. How much protection Tuchel provides Saka will be a factor in his team selection for the group stages. In Madueke, Tuchel has a player he trusts and clearly rates, should he decide to ease Saka into the tournament.