Thomas Tuchel is poised to make a surprising decision by dropping one of England's key players for their 2026 World Cup opener against Croatia. The tournament is already underway, with host nations Mexico and the USA securing opening victories, while Canada played out a draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday evening.
The Three Lions begin their campaign on Wednesday in Dallas against the team that famously eliminated them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup. Tuchel faces several selection dilemmas ahead of the crucial match, particularly regarding the right-wing position, as Bukayo Saka is dealing with an Achilles issue.
Defensive Shake-Up
While Reece James and Nico O'Reilly appear to be the starting full-backs, the centre-back partnership remains uncertain. It was widely expected that Marc Guehi would be a guaranteed starter, with either Ezri Konsa or John Stones partnering him, and Dan Burn and Jarell Quansah providing backup. However, in a significant twist, BBC Sport reports that Guehi is set to be benched. The expected lineup is nearly identical to the one used in last week's warm-up victory over Costa Rica, where Konsa and Stones started together.
Guehi, widely regarded as England's best central defender, broke into the national team during Euro 2024 and has since won back-to-back FA Cups with Crystal Palace and Manchester City. However, it is believed that Tuchel wants more physicality in his backline, as the 25-year-old is slightly smaller than his defensive teammates.
This decision appears puzzling, especially since both Konsa and Stones are right-sided defenders, while Tuchel has typically preferred a balanced centre-back partnership, with Guehi and Burn offering left-sided options. If Stones starts ahead of Guehi, it will prove contentious. Although Stones is one of England's most experienced and decorated defenders, he has endured an injury-plagued season, making only 18 appearances across all competitions and starting just one Premier League game since August. Some considered him fortunate to even be included in the World Cup squad.
If the team remains unchanged from the Costa Rica match, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and Noni Madueke will form the attacking trio, replacing Marcus Rashford, Morgan Rogers, and the injured Saka.
Stuart Pearce Defends Guehi
Former England defender Stuart Pearce expressed dismay at the potential decision to drop Guehi, insisting he is a player the Three Lions cannot afford to lose during the World Cup. "Am I surprised by how well Marc Guehi has done? A little bit," the ex-Manchester City left-back told Boyle Sports. "I always thought he was a very good player at Crystal Palace, but he's taken another step forward. He also seems incredibly level-headed. I've never met him, but I'd like to because of the pride he shows in representing both club and country. He's been a real breath of fresh air for England."
Pearce added: "With John Stones' injury concerns, the bigger question now is who plays alongside Marc Guehi. Ideally, it would be John Stones if he's fully fit. There are still one or two question marks in that area. For England's sake, let's just hope Marc Guehi stays fit."
