Tuchel Says He Changed 'One or Two' England Shirt Numbers Before World Cup

Overview

• Tuchel said Saturday he had limited input on the official squad numbers and that he personally changed “one or two” choices after the FA sent him a list.
• The released numbers include Marcus Rashford at No. 11 and Anthony Gordon at No. 18, details fans and pundits have read as possible hints about who will start.
• England will use warm-up friendlies to finalise the starting XI, with Tuchel planning two separate XIs in the New Zealand match and a follow-up game against Costa Rica before the tournament.
• Tuchel warned that the patchy surface at Raymond James Stadium in Florida has raised concerns and said the staff may adapt lineups or manage minutes if the turf proves unsuitable.
• Modern squad numbering often reflects player preference rather than fixed roles, so any signalling from numbers can be ambiguous and final selection decisions are likely to come from these last training sessions and warm-up games.