Thomas Tuchel Set to Make Major England Change for World Cup Opener vs Croatia

England boss Thomas Tuchel is set to make a major change to his defence for the World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday night in Dallas. The German coach has been keeping his players guessing about the starting lineup, with key positions still up for grabs.

Tuchel's Secrecy on Starting XI

Tuchel is known for confirming his team just hours before kick-off, often leaving players in the dark until the morning of the match. Noni Madueke recently revealed, "We normally have a team meeting before the game, on matchday, a few hours beforehand and find out then."

Key Battles for Places

Four positions have been fiercely contested ahead of the opener: left wing, right wing, centre-half, and the No.10 role. Bukayo Saka is set for his 50th cap despite Achilles tendinitis, stating he is "ready to gamble" on his fitness. However, his minutes will be managed due to the injury. Anthony Gordon appears to have edged ahead of Marcus Rashford on the left wing after impressing in training and in the final pre-tournament friendly against Costa Rica.

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Jude Bellingham looks certain to start at No.10 over Morgan Rogers, despite a difficult season at Real Madrid marked by injuries. The Real Madrid star is now fighting fit and seen as England's best hope for World Cup glory alongside captain Harry Kane.

Defensive Overhaul

The most significant change comes in defence, where Ezri Konsa and John Stones are set to start as the first-choice centre-back pairing, with Marc Guehi dropping out despite being first choice for much of the last two years and at Euro 2024. Both Stones and Konsa are firm Tuchel favourites. Tuchel considers Konsa his No.1 centre-back, valuing his pace and tenacity, while Stones' ball-playing ability and experience are highly rated. Konsa enters the tournament full of confidence after an excellent season at Aston Villa.