England's Starting XI for World Cup Opener Against Croatia

England’s day of destiny is drawing closer. Thomas Tuchel’s squad have had to wait to launch their World Cup campaign but they are now just 48 hours from kicking off against Croatia in Dallas, so attention inevitably turns to who the German coach should pick. You will have your own ideas but we asked six Athletic experts for their views.

Oliver Kay wasn’t thrilled by the squad Thomas Tuchel picked but one benefit of leaving out several of England’s most talented players is that it makes it easier to pick a starting XI from those who made the cut. It’s interesting that Tuchel has largely stuck with the same 4-2-3-1 system that Gareth Southgate switched to towards the end of his tenure. I feel this England team would work better in a 4-3-3, which in this case would see Jude Bellingham drop a little deeper to join Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson in midfield, albeit with the freedom to get forward whenever the opportunity allowed. I know some feel you have to play with a speed merchant on each wing to get beyond Harry Kane, but personally I would feel happier with Morgan Rogers cutting in from the left-hand side, where he has often excelled for Aston Villa. If it turns into the type of game where you need pace, then the options of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke are all there.

I’m really pleased John Stones is in the squad and hopefully ready to start alongside Marc Guéhi. I just hope he can stay injury-free. Likewise, Reece James at right back. It will be interesting to see how the full-backs operate. I’m more than happy to see James and Nico O’Reilly start, but they are unlikely to get the licence to roam into midfield the way they like to for their club sides.

Jack Pitt-Brooke mentions that some players pick themselves. No debate is required over Jordan Pickford. At centre-back, I would hope that John Stones can play himself into rhythm, just because he offers things that no other players do. England will need tactical flexibility and confidence in possession and Stones provides more of that than anyone. Marc Guéhi slots in alongside him. Nico O’Reilly at left-back and then Reece James are the fairly obvious full-backs, assuming they are fully fit. Then Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice are the pairing in the middle of the pitch, one that has been so successful over the last season. Bukayo Saka should stay on the right, even with fitness concerns. The most interesting one is No 10, where I would have Jude Bellingham over Morgan Rogers, as he can hurt the opposition more. England know that this is going to be a World Cup decided by moments, and Bellingham is perhaps the best moments player in the squad.

Dan Sheldon believes that having been in West Palm Beach for England’s pre-World Cup camp, taking in the friendlies against New Zealand and Croatia, the team now picks itself. Jordan Pickford remains England’s best goalkeeper and his position is not under any threat. In defence, it should be Reece James on the right, Ezri Konsa and Marc Guéhi in the middle, with Nico O’Reilly on the left. Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson again showed how well they complement each other during the Costa Rica friendly and their respective places in the starting XI should not be under any threat.

It gets a bit more tricky in the forward areas, but, and it is a big but considering what Tuchel said about his fitness, Bukayo Saka, if fit, has to start on the right wing. I initially leaned towards Marcus Rashford on the left, especially after the New Zealand friendly, but Anthony Gordon won me over against Costa Rica. Jude Bellingham gets the nod over Morgan Rogers. He was excellent in both friendlies and — this is not a slight on Rogers — is a level above the Aston Villa player. Kane up front, obviously.

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Jay Harris notes that Croatia will be a tough nut for England to crack. Head coach Zlatko Dalic has been in charge since 2017 and they reached the 2018 World Cup final under him, beating England in the process. Four years later, Croatia were eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual winners Argentina. Croatia are nerveless under pressure. They were outplayed by Japan in the last 16 in Qatar but held out for a 1-1 draw before triumphing on penalties. The problem for England is Croatia’s tactical flexibility. Depending upon the opposition, they can switch between a 4-2-3-1 or opt for a back three with former Tottenham Hotspur winger Ivan Perisic and Bayern Munich’s Josip Stanisic as aggressive wing-backs.

The bulk of Croatia’s quality is in the centre of the pitch, with Josko Gvardiol and talented teenager Luka Vuskovic in defence, while Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic roam in front. The danger posed by Croatia’s wing-backs means Tuchel should start Anthony Gordon on the left because he is much better out of position than Marcus Rashford. Elliot Anderson attracts a lot of attention for his passing range but he is excellent off the ball, too, and will be the perfect partner to help Rice disrupt Modric. Stones, James, Marc Guéhi and Nico O’Reilly are the obvious back four to pick, so the final decision comes down to whether Tuchel thinks Saka is ready enough after admitting Arsenal’s winger is not 100 per cent fit due to the Achilles injury he suffered in March.

Cerys Jones agrees that Nico O’Reilly and Reece James are the obvious full-back pairing, and although John Stones and Ezri Konsa were the centre-backs of choice in England’s final warm-up game, I would be baffled if Marc Guéhi does not start. Stones versus Konsa is the only defensive decision that gives me pause for thought, because I worry what the lack of club minutes means for Stones’ rhythm — but when England need him, he tends to step up.

The midfield partnership of Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson is one of England’s biggest strengths. I deliberated long and hard over Morgan Rogers or Jude Bellingham as the No 10; they are both players who can produce game-changing moments. Bellingham has edged into my line-up purely because he has more of a proven record of doing so at major tournaments. I was worried about Anthony Gordon’s match sharpness given his omission at the end of Newcastle United’s season, but his performance against Costa Rica put me at ease — and I agree with Jay that his out-of-possession work will be important. The right-wing spot simply depends on fitness for me. If Bukayo Saka is capable of starting, he definitely should.

Tim Spiers is worried about the right-sided forward position, with Bukayo Saka not fully fit and his Arsenal/England deputy Noni Madueke a noticeable step down on his level. Anyone got Cole Palmer’s number? Or Jarrod Bowen’s, maybe? How about Phil Foden? OK, fine. If Saka is anywhere near fit, he has to start. On the opposite side, Marcus Rashford doesn’t fill me with great confidence in an England shirt (one goal in three years) but Anthony Gordon looked decent against Costa Rica and, buoyed by his Barcelona move, I’m backing him to have a good tournament.

The rest of the side pretty much picks itself I think; Bellingham is one of a very small number of truly world-class players in this England group and starts for me, with Morgan Rogers on the bench if needed. And then, at the back, it looks like a choice between the experience of John Stones and the form of Ezri Konsa to partner Marc Guéhi… I’ll go with the latter, especially given the conditions.