World Cup 2026: My England Team and Squad

England's World Cup qualifying campaign concluded yesterday following their 2-0 win over Albania which ensured that they ended the campaign with a 100% record and without conceding a single goal.

Their main focus now will be on their preparations for the tournament itself and Thomas Tuchel will of course have a lot of things to think about. Two of them included his best starting 11 and the players he will include in his squad.

Let's see who I've got in my England team and which players I think will and should be selected for the tournament next summer.

STARTING LINE UP

Jordan Pickford of course has to start in goal because he's England's no.1 and I don't see that changing between now and the summer.

In defence, Reece James will obviously start at right back as he's been the first choice pick in that position since Thomas Tuchel has been in charge. He has had his injury issues in the past but if he can stay fit and keeping playing well, he's definitely going to start.

The left back spot is one of the positions up for grabs as no one has nailed down that position for at least the past year due to the lack of options in the position. But if I had to give the spot to someone it would have to be Nico O'Reilly because he's played really well for Man City and is playing more regularly than Myles Lewis-Skelly, who I would've had in this position if I was picking my team at the end of last season. O'Reilly impressed on his England debut against Serbia on Thursday and if he can keep up the form he's in for Man City, he could have the left back spot nailed on.

Stones and Guehi will definitely be our two centre backs as they're the best options England have in that position and they both have a decent partnership as well. Stones has had his fair share of injuries over the last couple of years but if he can stay fit, he definitely starts because he's been one of the first names on the England team sheet for the last three to four years.

I've chosen to go for a 4-2-3-1 formation as that is the system that England have used since Tuchel has been in charge and I don't see it changing. In midfield, Anderson and Rice pretty much have the two positions in front of the back four nailed. Rice is definitely a shoe in because he's one of England's most important players and now one of the best midfielders in Europe. Anderson has impressed whenever he's played for England since making his debut against Andorra back in September and because of that, he has to start as the deep lying player which will give Rice the freedom to roam about the pitch because of the energy he has.

In attack, Jude Bellingham has to start in the no.10 role because he's one of the best midfielders in the world and England's best player in this position. The no.10 position is another area that is up for grabs because of the options they have in this position including Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze and Morgan Rogers. But Bellingham still has to start in this position because of the player he is.

Bukayo Saka has to start on the right because he's one of England's most important players and has been first choice on the right for the last few years. He's another shoe in for this team.

On the left I've gone with Marcus Rashford because he's been in excellent form for Barcelona and has a good record for England. He made a difference when he came off the bench against Albania yesterday as it was his brilliant cross that set up Harry Kane's second goal. He will be fighting it out with Anthony Gordon for that spot on the left but if he can keep up the current form he's been in for Barca, he'll surely start.

Harry Kane meanwhile will of course start up front as he's England's captain and talisman.

THE SQUAD:

GOALKEEPERS: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Nick Pope (Newcastle)

DEFENDERS: Reece James (Chelsea), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), John Stones (Man City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Nico O'Reilly (Man City), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)

MIDFIELDERS: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Phil Foden (Man City), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)

FORWARDS: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

As for the squad, Dean Henderson and Nick Pope should provide cover for Jordan Pickford as they're the two best English keepers after Pickford in the Premier League.

I think Tino Livramento will back up Reece James at right back because he's a regular starter for Newcastle and has played well when he's been available. With Trent Alexander-Arnold struggling for game time and form at Real Madrid, Livramento looks the most likely player to provide covern for James at right back.

Ezri Konsa and Dan Burn look the most likely options to provide cover for Guehi and Stones in central defence having been part of recent squads. I would've had Jarrad Branthwaite ahead of Burn had I picked my squad at the end of last season. But with Branthwaite out injured for another couple of months and the fact that he'll need time to get himself properly match fit, I'm not sure he will do enough to force his way into the squad.

Adam Wharton and Jordan Henderson should provide cover in midfield for Anderson and Rice as they're both deep lying players and England have very few of those at the moment. There is a case for Wharton to start because of the exciting young talent he is and how influential he's been for Crystal Palace, but I think he'll be back up to Anderson as Anderson is currently first choice for the no.6 role. I wouldn't have had Henderson in my squad if I did it at the end of last season because of his age. But as he's been playing well for Brentford this season, I've decided to put in for that reason alongside the experience he can offer the group as a whole.

In terms of the players who could provide cover for Bellingham in the no.10 role, Phil Foden, Eberechi Eze, Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers are the players I think will be in the squad. Foden for me will be the main back up for Bellingham because he's better centrally than he is out wide as he's more involved when he plays centrally. Palmer, Eze and Rogers can all fill in out wide as they're all capable of playing out there and stepping up when they do.

Jarrod Bowen will surely provide cover for Saka on the right wing as he's England best option on the right behind Saka and has been carrying a poor West Ham team all season. Noni Madueke will look to force his way back in once he returns from injury, but I think Bowen will get in the squad ahead of him.

Anthony Gordon might not be having his best season for Newcastle in the Premier League but he has been playing well in the Champions League and if he can carry his form in Europe into the Premier League, he'll definitely be back up to Rashford on the left.

Ollie Watkins may be struggling for form this season, but he still has time to turn his season around between now and the end of the season. If he can start scoring goals soon and return to the kind of form we're used to seeing him in, he should definitely be Harry Kane's back up up top.