Jude Bellingham has beaten Morgan Rogers to England’s coveted World Cup No 10 jersey.
In what could be an insight into Thomas Tuchel’s preferred starting XI, the Real Madrid midfielder has been given the squad number ahead of his Aston Villa counterpart.
Rogers, who started the key autumn qualifiers that sealed England’s place at the finals, had appeared in possession of the jersey after impressing in the role behind Harry Kane.
But Tuchel knows that Bellingham will expect to start – and the squad numbers hint at his inclusion.
The Three Lions are in a group with Croatia, Ghana and Panama in the USA this summer, as they go in search once more of a first World Cup on foreign soil.
And, ahead of the action starting, boss Tuchel has dropped a hint over his preferred starting XI, with England’s official squad numbers published by FIFA, although the FA are yet to announce them.
England’s squad numbers for the World Cup have been confirmed ahead of the tournament
England’s 26-man squad undertook their first training session in Florida on Tuesday
Jude Bellingham has been handed the No 10 shirt ahead of Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze
Jordan Pickford has unsurprisingly been handed the No 1 shirt, with the Everton keeper set to play at his fifth major tournament.
Elsewhere, Nico O’Reilly takes the No.3 jersey and is set to start at left back, while Marcus Rashford is No 11 ahead of Anthony Gordon. That pair will compete for a place on the left of England’s attack. Ezri Konsa is No 2 but Reece James remains the most likely starting right back and will wear his preferred No 24 shirt.
Marc Guehi has been an England regular over the past few years and he takes the No 6 shirt, while Bukayo Saka will wear No 7 as expected given he is likely to start on the right wing.
Meanwhile, John Stones has barely played over the past two seasons due to injury, yet by being given No 5, it suggests that Tuchel could start him at centre back with Guehi.
The likes of Tino Livramento, Jordan Henderson, Dan Burn, Kobbie Mainoo, Ollie Watkins, Noni Madueke, Ivan Toney, Djed Spence and Jarell Quansah are all also expected to start on the bench at the beginning of the tournament.
That status has been reflected in the numbers they have been given, with the lowest being Livramento’s No 12.
Tuchel oversaw England’s first session on Tuesday after arriving here in West Palm Beach on Monday evening. Ollie Watkins, who will wear No 19, was back with the squad for the first time since being left out of the March internationals, and the Villa striker admits that snub served as motivation.
‘It was a blessing in disguise,’ said Watkins, who scored 12 times for Villa after his omission. ‘Sometimes, when something gets taken away from you, you realise how important it is and it puts fire in your belly to show people what you can do.
‘It was a case of proving to myself what I could do. The manager always had faith in me. It is nice that I could repay him with the performances and goals and show that I deserved to be here.’
