Topics: England, Thomas Tuchel, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Football
Thomas Tuchel has a huge decision to make regarding whether Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, or Cole Palmer starts as the ‘number 10’ in his England side at next summer’s World Cup – so how do their statistics compare?
Tuchel has just 209 days until the start of the 2026 World Cup. His aim? To become just the second England boss to win the tournament, following in the footsteps of Sir Alf Ramsey, who led the Three Lions to glory in 1966.
England’s place at the finals is already secure, with Tuchel guiding the side to seven wins in seven qualifiers since undertaking the role last autumn.
On Thursday, strikes from Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze swept Serbia aside with ease as England ran out 2-0 winners at Wembley.
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Meanwhile, Foden and Bellingham impressed with 25-minute cameos on their return to the squad, having been omitted from Tuchel’s squad back in October.
The number 10 position is arguably one of the most stacked in terms of depth, with Palmer, Bellingham, Foden, Eze, and Morgan Rogers all able to play there.
And despite having the luxury – or headache – of having five quality attacking midfielders to choose from, Tuchel has insisted that he sees a “very, very low percentage” of taking all five to North America.
Of course, the quintet all have their strengths and offer slightly different things to the England side.
Rogers is the only player to have featured in all eight England matches under the German, while Bellingham and Palmer have struggled with injuries, with the latter still sidelined with a persistent groin injury.
Other Premier League stars such as Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White and Everton's Jack Grealish will also be vying for the position despite both being left out of Tuchel’s most recent squad selection.
But there’s an argument that if all the players are fit, Bellingham, Foden, and Palmer will be the most likely starters.
So, how do their stats compare?
According to Squawka, Foden has played the most minutes in the league this season with 712. In comparison, Bellingham has played 471 minutes, and Palmer, limited by injury, has appeared for just 145 minutes.
The Manchester City man also leads the way with 402 attempted passes compared to Bellingham’s 265 and Palmer’s 48.
In terms of league goals this season, Bellingham edges Foden and Palmer with two compared to one each for the Man City academy graduates.
Per 90 minutes, Bellingham averages 0.4 goals, Palmer returns 0.7, while Foden returns just 0.2.
Bellingham and Foden have also provided an assist each, while Palmer has yet to register one in the Premier League this term.
What about their performances for England?
Well, Bellingham (44 caps) and Foden (45 caps) boast the most international experience, having featured in all seven of England’s matches during their run to the 2024 Euros final.
While Palmer (12 caps), despite netting in the final against Spain, had to settle for five substitute appearances. Bellingham has the most Three Lions goals with six compared to Foden's four and Palmer's two.
So, given the small margins between the trio, Tuchel has a tough decision to make, and only he will know why he chooses one star over another.
