Tuchel's Hands-Off Approach to England Squad Numbers – With One Exception

Thomas Tuchel has lifted the lid on his surprisingly limited role in determining England's World Cup squad numbers, suggesting the process is far more complicated than simply handing out shirts numbered one through eleven.

With the Three Lions preparing for their tournament opener against Croatia on June 17, Tuchel faces New Zealand in a penultimate friendly on Saturday before a final warm-up against Costa Rica next Wednesday. Yet it's the manager's comments about squad numbers that have proven revealing about how modern football operates behind the scenes.

"I was not very much involved in these numbers. Way less than you might imagine," Tuchel told talkSPORT when quizzed on the matter. "They sent me the list and I think I had an opinion on one or two numbers that we then changed."

The England boss went on to explain the labyrinthine nature of shirt allocation in the contemporary game. Players harbour their own preferences – some keen to retain numbers from previous tournaments, others reluctant to abandon their club digits. Gone are the days of a straightforward one-to-eleven distribution.

"There's a whole thing going on," Tuchel reflected. "The times of 1 to 11 are behind us. I was a big fan of that, but this does not exist anymore."

The No.10 Question

One selection that will undoubtedly rest on Tuchel's shoulders is the No.10 berth, with Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers both staking claims for the position. Joe Cole, however, reckons the manager needn't choose between them.

"I think Tuchel might go with Morgan Rogers in the 10, but he could play both of them," the Chelsea legend told The Sun. "He could play Jude coming in off the left, Morgan could come in off the left, there are loads of combinations. One thing is for sure, they will both have a major part to play."

Cole believes Tuchel holds the key to keeping both players satisfied. The former midfielder stressed the importance of clarity from the outset: "Tuchel has got to iron it out from the start. He has got to have a conversation with Bellingham, let him know where he stands, what he needs from him, and then Jude has got to respond to that."

Bellingham, Cole noted, possesses the competitor's mindset to handle rotation. "Any player will be disappointed if they don't make the team, but they're going to come on and finish the game, then they might start the next game," he explained. "Thomas has to make sure he has set his stall out from the start in the group meet-up – we're all in this together but I can't play all of you."