How might England line-up at Euro 2028 under Thomas Tuchel?

Jaquob Crooke Updated: 4 hours ago

Euro 2028 might be 20 months away but excitement is already starting to build as England gear up for a home major tournament.

Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions have managed to banish the lingering frustration at their World Cup semi-final exit with a series of promising performances in the UEFA Nations League.

England went toe-to-toe with world champions Spain at Wembley, eventually suffering a 3-2 defeat to Luis de la Fuente's all-conquering side, but they responded with a commanding 2-0 triumph over Czechia in Prague.

A tough encounter against Croatia in Rijeka was anticipated but England dismantled their hapless hosts 7-0 - Croatia's heaviest defeat - before securing their second success over Czechia in a week with a 3-0 win on home soil.

England are all but set for the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals, which is where their credentials against the top teams will be tested, but there are encouraging signs with preparations in full swing for the European Championships in 2028.

A lot can change in two years, but the three-week international window has provided great insight into how England could shape up for the start of the next major tournament.

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Goalkeeper

Very few pundits anticipated James Trafford to start in between the sticks for the encounter against Spain, and eyebrows were raised again when the Leeds United shot-stopper retained the gloves in Prague.

Jordan Pickford returned with back-to-back clean sheets, but are we witnessing the start of a transition in goal?

Trafford is the heir to Pickford's throne, and yet nobody can be quite sure when Trafford will be coronated. The former Manchester City goalkeeper has enjoyed an excellent start to the season at Elland Road, ranking top of the pile in the Premier League for save percentage and saves made.

There was criticism of Trafford's distribution in the defeat to Spain, but his output was no worse than what Pickford conjured in possession during the victory over Czechia.

Still only 23, there's gargantuan room for growth in the period between now and the start of Euro 2028. Pickford, on the other hand, will be 34 by the time England start the tournament - that's not to suggest he'll need a zimmerframe anytime soon.

The huge upside to the goalkeeping scenario is that Pickford now has genuine competition for his number one jersey, and it will be fascinating to see how Trafford develops as he establishes himself in the Premier League.

Defence

The back four remains a weakness for England which could undermine their quest for Euros glory.

However, the succession of Nations League fixtures did provide some encouragement from a defensive point of view, particularly at left-back.

Nico O'Reilly didn't fully grasp the starting berth at the World Cup and there was criticism of Tuchel at the time for omitting Lewis Hall from his 26-strong party in North America, but the Newcastle United ace demonstrated he could be the answer to England's prayers with several assured showings.

Hall's attributes are well-suited to Tuchel's system and the left-back displayed great chemistry with his former team-mate Anthony Gordon out wide.

On the opposite flank is where it could get interesting. Trent Alexander-Arnold returned from the abyss and made a strong case for the right-back slot with his attacking prowess and set-piece delivery, starting in two of the fixtures in tandem with Jarell Quansah, who's earned the trust of Tuchel with his versatility.

The pair grasped their opportunities in the absence of Reece James and Tino Livramento, who have both been undermined by recurring injury issues. If fit, it's expected James will still be Tuchel's first choice option at right-back, but the recent international break has certainly given the German food for thought.

In central defence, Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi are England's primary centre-back pairing, although neither are guaranteed starters for when Euro 2028 arrives.

Jarrad Branthwaite's inclusion is a sign of the Everton defender starting to live up to his high potential and at 24, he could be a major figure for the Three Lions if he manages to stay fit. Branthwaite marginally got the nod over Levi Colwill, who has featured prominently for Chelsea since returning from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

John Stones was omitted from Tuchel's latest squad. The defender is tied down to a contract with Inter until 2028, and a lot will rest on whether he can stay injury-free whilst maintaining a level of performance.

A potential outsider is Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who could flourish under the tutelage of Unai Emery at Aston Villa.

Midfield

Declan Rice's injury absence provided auditions for Myles Lewis-Skelly and Alex Scott in midfield, with the latter unfortunately suffering an injury on the eve of the Croatia fixture - which he remarkably played through - that's left him sidelined for two months.

The duo essentially acted as a very energetic accomplice to Elliot Anderson, who was handed greater responsibility by Tuchel during the international window. Encouraged to drop between Guehi and Konsa to dictate, Anderson would also showcase his immense engine by helping to lead England's counter-press.

Despite the impressive showing by Scott, it would be a huge surprise to see anything other than a Rice-Anderson partnership in the heart of the midfield.

However, the talented Bournemouth man will certainly be on the periphery if he maintains his current trajectory, while Lewis-Skelly remains a flexible option to fall back on.

What was a major shame during the international break was the lack of minutes James Garner had in midfield. The Everton star was a late call-up to the squad and featured in three of the four matches, but he spent more minutes at left-back than in the pivot with Tuchel refraining from shifting Lewis-Skelly.

Attack

After the 7-0 demolition of Croatia, England's attacking four is pretty much set in stone.

A player of Cole Palmer's calibre could potentially threaten to spoil the party, but it would be a surprise if England's opening match didn't consist of: Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and Harry Kane.

The fluency, dynamism, awareness and precision devastated the Croatia backline in Rijeka, with the trio of Saka, Bellingham and Gordon functioning in wonderful symphony around the centrepiece that is Kane.

Tuchel has embraced Kane's tendency to drop deep and play quarterback by giving Bellingham licence to play off the last shoulder, and their relationship could be pivotal in firing England to Euro glory.

Saka appears to be nailed for a starting berth on the right, while over on the left, I'll have whatever Gordon's been consuming in Barcelona. Is it the tap water at Camp Nou?

His move to the Catalan giants has served to further enhance his technical qualities, and that was evident as he played a more inverted role for England.

Morgan Rogers will feel he still has something to say on the starting XI, and the Chelsea attacker will no doubt play a key role for England at Euro 2028. At present, both the former Villa man and his Blues team-mate Palmer have a lot to prove if they want a starting berth.

On the periphery is the likes of Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White, who's warranted more minutes for the form he's shown at club level, while Rio Ngumoha could be an ace in the hole - although by 2028, he's got the potential to be a Liverpool household star.