With just 11 days to go until their World Cup Group L opener against Croatia on 17 June, England took on New Zealand in a pre-tournament friendly. This was a chance for certain squad members to impress Thomas Tuchel, with just one more friendly against Costa Rica to go before the summer competition begins.

The German decided to go with one starting XI and then change the entire team at halftime, to get a good look at all the players in his 26-man squad. It was a dull first half as the players struggled to dominate the All Whites, but Harry Kane’s class managed to shine through, as he headed home just before half-time. This proved to be the winner.

After the break, as promised, an entirely new set of England stars took to the pitch. One notable change was Ivan Toney on from Kane, and there was a big difference in quality.

England Star Struggles in World Cup Warm-Up

As Kane had started with Ollie Watkins, Tuchel only had one man he could bring off the bench as a striker. That man was Toney, who was making his first England appearance since coming on as a substitute during the defeat against Senegal in October 2025.

Having spent the last two seasons in the Saudi Pro League with Al Ahli, some were surprised to see him make the squad, and his 45-minute cameo did little to convince. His best moment came when he threw himself to ground easily to win a penalty, but the officials correctly flagged that he was offside in the build-up.

Beyond that, he struggled to make an impact and even missed a big chance at the death when unmarked in the box, although he was once again called offside, which summed up how off the pace he seemed.

Toney finished the game with no shots, as per SofaScore, having been caught offside twice, and managed just five passes. In total, he had only 11 touches, losing the ball three times in his 45 minutes on the pitch. In comparison, Kane had three shots at goal, all on target and completed 15 passes, losing the ball twice from 21 touches.

Fans Unimpressed With Toney vs New Zealand

One key thing fans noticed in the game was the slow pace. One supporter spoke about Toney as he suggested some of the players looked ‘dreadful’ in terms of their sharpness. They said:

“Some of these players are so out of shape it’s dreadful, James makes Luke Shaw look like he hasn’t had a meal for 3 months and Toney looks like he hasn’t run in a 12 month, how the hell are they out there?”

On Toney, another added: “Toney so far off the pace and that’s against New Zealand!!!!” While someone else echoed that, writing: “Toney is miles off it. Dreading this World Cup already. Miss you Gareth.” Another said:

At one point, the English striker looked to latch onto a ball but looked worryingly slow. A fan noticed this and said: “Ivan Toney is about as quick as me and I’m 59 yrs old.”

One supporter brutally wrote: “Ivan Toney is making Emile Heskey look like prime Maradona.” While a final fan summed up the mood, noting: “Horrifically lazy game from the England lads. Toney, Burn and Gordon especially poor with 80min gone.”

Just one more friendly separates England from their first foray into a major international tournament since Gareth Southgate stepped down from his role to give Thomas Tuchel a chance. The German manager made it clear that his goal was to add a second World Cup star above the Three Lions’ badge, and now is the time to walk the walk.

England kick off their tournament on June 17, with a match against familiar opposition, Croatia, to raise the curtain on Group L. Following a 1-0 win over New Zealand in preparation for their opener, GIVEMESPORT now has a much better understanding of how Tuchel might line up against the same side that knocked his predecessor out in the semi-finals in 2018.

Goalkeeper

Jordan Pickford

Starting the XI from the back is Jordan Pickford, a man who has held down the number one jersey with relative ease since his debut clean sheet in the 0-0 draw with Germany back in November 2017. Since then, he has barely put a foot wrong for his country, arguably playing his best football whilst in England’s colours.

The boy from Sunderland was superb in his first major tournament, playing a key role in the Three Lions’ 2018 World Cup campaign, helping his side beat Colombia 4–3 on penalties to claim the nation’s first World Cup penalty shootout victory and a place in the quarter-final – a match in which he then kept his first clean sheet of the tournament and was named man of the match.

Right-Back

Reece James

Right-back is a position where the Three Lions had been spoilt for choice in Southgate’s reign, with a group of talented players all fighting for the same position. Kyle Walker has been the more consistent choice to fill the spot in recent years, with Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier often deputising, but both have since retired.

Tuchel, who worked with Reece James previously at Chelsea, has consistently picked him for the national team. He, like Pickford, is nailed on, especially since Trent wasn’t even picked for the 26-man squad.

Centre-Back

John Stones

Moving into the centre of defence we have John Stones, a Rolls-Royce of a defender who slots into this position with ease. Having already made 89 appearances in white, Stones will be one of the most experienced players in this XI, having already featured at both the 2018 and the 2022 World Cups. He was handed even more responsibility at Euro 2024 as his normal partner, Harry Maguire, missed out through injury.

Since his £47.5 million move from Everton in 2016, making him the world’s second most expensive defender in history, the Barnsley native has never looked back. Despite his injuries in recent years, he is a smooth operator in the heart of defence, and remains immovable when fit.

Centre-Back

Marc Guehi

Despite making it to the final last summer, England’s performances along the way were not particularly strong. One player who could hold his head high, though, was Marc Guehi. The 25-year-old was thrust into the starting XI as soon as it was made clear Maguire wasn’t going to be fit to feature, but you would never have guessed it, seeing how composed the defender looked every time he was on the pitch.

Guehi didn’t put a foot wrong all summer and staked his claim for a mandatory place in the starting XI moving forward. Many people questioned the depth that the Three Lions had at centre-back, but with the Eagles star’s display, along with the presence of Ezri Konsa, it seems as though the void of Maguire and Stones may easily be filled in years to come.

Left-Back

Nico O’Reilly

England aren’t exactly blessed with options at left-back, and so it must have come as a huge relief when Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly really stepped up to the plate in the second-half of last season. While Lewis Hall and Luke Shaw continue to struggle with fitness issues, the 21-year-old has been a breath of fresh air.

Always ready to play, whether on the front or back foot, O’Reilly’s coruscating moment of his career so far was scoring a brace in a 2-0 League Cup final win over Arsenal. If it’s energy that Tuchel wants on the flanks, then he needn’t look much further.

Centre-Midfield

Declan Rice

Moving into the base of midfield, Declan Rice has already reached well over a half century of caps for his country since making his debut in 2019 and is bound to make a lot more in the years to come. The Arsenal man went into Euro 2024 as one of the best midfielders on the planet, and now, still only 27 years old, is among the top three for his position.

Having already played at three major tournaments, the upcoming World Cup is his fourth already for the Three Lions. A solid ball carrier with sublime athleticism and strong defensive capabilities, it’s a no-brainer that Rice will make the starting lineup, even in spite of the fact he probably needs some extra rest following a deep run to the Champions League final with the Gunners just a month ago.

Centre-Midfield

Elliot Anderson

One of the more underrated midfielders in the Premier League, Elliot Anderson’s brilliant start to the season at Nottingham Forest was rewarded with a first England call-up and subsequent cap in the 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Andorra. The 23-year-old made the most of his opportunity, too, with a player of the match display that had Tuchel saying that it was as if he had already played 50 times for his country.

Another several really solid displays have since followed, and Anderson has certainly made a good case for starting ahead of the more reputable names across the pond. In a team brimming with big talent, it’s the system players that ensure any golden generation doesn’t get too carried away, and his team-first mentality could work wonders in the Three Lions’ pursuit of silverware.

Attacking-Midfield

Moragn Rogers

The biggest – and perhaps most controversial – decision Tuchel is expected to make ahead of the Croatia match is that of the attacking midfield position. He’s already drawn criticism for leaving Phil Foden and Cole Palmer at home, and now, all the clues of his preferred starting lineup lead towards everyone believing Jude Bellingham will be left on the bench.

Of course, that’s not to say the Real Madrid man will still make a huge difference late on. But given the form of Morgan Rogers, who is fresh off winning the Europa League with Aston Villa, he has more than earnt the opportunity to prove his worth for the Three Lions. His movement behind the front three could be a secret weapon for his nation.

Right-Winger

Bukayo Saka

Moving into the final third of the field and onto the attackers, the right side of the forward line is another position that at the moment looks pretty nailed down by one man. At the age of just 24, Bukayo Saka is already one of the first names on the team sheet for his club, Arsenal, and also for his country too, having earned 48 caps for his country since his debut in October 2020.

Saka’s pace and directness strike fear into any defender he faces down the right-hand side, with his ability to cut inside, go down the outside, shoot, cross, or pass, making him a jack of all trades and one of the best wingers around. Whilst the penalty miss at Euro 2020 will never leave him, the starboy has done magnificently to put it behind him.

Left-Winger

Anthony Gordon

Tuchel has spoken about wanting pace either side of his number nine. The new manager’s demands offered the chance for Marcus Rashford to make his international return for the first time in 12 months, and he has since cemented his spot in the squad – but has failed to make as much of an impact as Anthony Gordon.

With Kane dropping deep constantly last summer, fans were left baffled as to why Southgate never gave Gordon a chance on the left flank so that he could use his blistering pace to run in behind the striker. There have already been signs that Tuchel wants players who will try and get in behind the opposition defenders, and it’s a system the Scouser could thrive in.

Striker

Harry Kane

If we’re being completely honest, Harry Kane did not look like himself at Euro 2024. The legendary number nine was clearly unfit and not firing on all cylinders. Combine that with his need to get on the ball despite not having any willing runners exploiting the space he left, it wasn’t the right formula for Southgate.

It led some to believe that the England skipper could be out of favour by 2026. However, he has been in the form of his life since then, and a goal against New Zealand this weekend was his 67th of the season for club and country. There is nobody on the planet putting up the numbers he is right now, making him the best striker in the world. See the full predicted lineup below:

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and UEFA – accurate as of 06/06/2026.

Tottenham Hotspur are already being very active in the transfer market, and they are now in talks to seal yet another transfer for Roberto De Zerbi.

Spurs have already completed an agreement to sign Andy Robertson from Liverpool on a free transfer, while a move for Marcos Senesi has also been agreed, and a bid has been submitted for Brighton star Jan Paul van Hecke.

Talks are said to be ongoing with Manchester City over a deal for winger Savinho too, with the club making moves, and now it has emerged they are engaging in talks for someone De Zerbi is a big fan of.

Tottenham In Talks for Joao Palhinha Deal

According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Tottenham are engaged in talks with Bayern Munich over a deal to sign Joao Palhinha permanently this summer.

The Portugal international, who De Zerbi has described as ‘one of the best’, spent this season on loan in north London and scored some vital goals to help them avoid relegation, including the winner on the final day of the season against Everton.

Palhinha has attracted strong interest from former club Sporting CP, with personal terms already agreed about a potential return to Lisbon. However, he would prefer to stay in the Premier League with Spurs, and has given them his priority ahead of a summer exit from Bayern.

Spurs hold an option to make his loan move permanent for €30m (£25.9m) including bonuses, but they are not currently willing to pay that much, and have not triggered the option as a result.

But the clubs are in talks over a potential lower fee, with the north London side hopeful that an agreement can be reached as Bayern are hopeful of selling the 30-year-old permanently.

Tottenham Have Leverage to Seal Deal

Tottenham are expecting major changes in their squad during this summer window, and that means any stability that they can control would be a good thing.

Cristian Romero is expected to leave, as is goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, but there is interest in a number of players looking at the rest of their squad. De Zerbi will want to keep a lot of those players, and that includes Palhinha.

Bayern don’t want him, and the player wants to join, so Spurs have all the leverage to get a deal done. But they can’t wait too long or they risk allowing other teams to step in and hijack it. Tottenham must now get this deal done, or ENIC will have major questions to answer.