England head coach Thomas Tuchel has plenty to ponder after a competitive and revealing final friendly before the World Cup begins in earnest.
The 1-0 win over New Zealand in Tampa offered little clarity, with Tuchel fielding two separate teams across the two halves in what amounted to little more than an extended training session.
The meeting with Costa Rica in Orlando was an entirely different proposition, delivering a fierce physical workout and several strong performances to sharpen Tuchel’s thinking.
When asked whether his starting line-up against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June would mirror the side that played against Costa Rica, Tuchel offered a characteristically guarded reply: “Maybe.”
He then elaborated, saying “we will always keep our cards in our hand” and adding that his “thoughts at the moment are not for Croatia, they’re for here today.”
Perhaps the most significant decision surrounds the number 10 role, where Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers are locked in competition for a single starting berth.
Rogers has been the player in possession of that shirt, with Tuchel keeping faith in the 23-year-old Aston Villa midfielder while Bellingham endured an injury-disrupted season at Real Madrid.
Bellingham looked like a man with a point to prove against Costa Rica, producing a superb through ball for Noni Madueke in the first half and showing brilliant footwork in the build-up to England’s second goal.
He danced past several Costa Rica defenders before finding Eberechi Eze, whose shot was handled, with Anthony Gordon converting the resulting penalty to seal the win.
Rogers also impressed when introduced from the bench, ensuring the debate remains very much alive heading into the opening group fixture.
Out wide, Bukayo Saka is expected to fill the right-sided slot once fit, with Tuchel carefully managing a lingering Achilles tendon injury that has restricted the Arsenal forward’s minutes so far.
The left-sided position is less clear-cut, with Gordon and Marcus Rashford both staking their claims across the two friendlies ahead of the tournament.
Rashford was bright against New Zealand, while Gordon delivered a standout display against Costa Rica, tormenting defender Shawn Johnson, setting up Declan Rice’s opener and scoring from the spot.
Gordon’s performance was all the more notable given he spent the final weeks of last season on the sidelines at Newcastle United as his departure from Tyneside became inevitable.
At centre-back, John Stones pressed his claim with 63 minutes against Costa Rica following 45 minutes against New Zealand, with Tuchel likely tempted to start his most experienced defender.
Stones left Manchester City at the end of last season and is yet to decide his next club, but his quality and pedigree at the highest level have never been in question.
Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa also featured across the two games, giving Tuchel genuine options at the heart of defence, though Guehi and Stones did play 45 minutes together against New Zealand.
Harry Kane, whose all-time England record stands at 79 goals in 114 games, remains utterly central to everything Tuchel wants to build, operating with a roving commission similar to his role at Bayern Munich.
Former England striker Chris Sutton described Kane’s game intelligence as “uncoachable”, and the 32-year-old’s ability to link, create and finish gives England a significant tactical advantage.
Tuchel described the squad depth positively after the Costa Rica win, noting “it was a very strong line-up but it was a very strong bench as well”, suggesting he is confident in the options available to him.
