England warned they will have to drop big name for World Cup

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has claimed that England may need to leave a star player at home in order to win the World Cup.

The Chelsea legend was on talkSPORT Breakfast with Ally McCoist and Ray Parlour on Monday morning and spoke about who he thinks should be in the England squad for the World Cup.

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With just over 100 days away from the international tournament starting, there is speculation on who Thomas Tuchel will pick for his 26 man squad.

With multiple top-class English players able to play in the attacking end of the pitch, it means the ex-Chelsea manager will have to cut big named players.

At the last international break, Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Alex Scott, Adam Wharton, Jarrod Bowen and Phil Foden were all chosen to represent their country.

Tuchel gave players from non ‘big six’ sides an opportunity to play and prove themselves ahead of the tournament.

Hasselbaink, who was also part of Gareth Southgate’s England coaching staff, believes there is too much talent in the Three Lions squad and some will have to stay home.

He said: “You might have to leave a big name on the bench or not take him for the team.

“I don’t know who I would go with at this moment of time, Rogers has been doing exceptionally well.

“He’s been a little bit quiet in the last few weeks but he’s been doing exceptionally well.

“Bellingham is Bellingham and he will always turn up in big games. Then you have Foden and my boy Cole Palmer, who is a must.”

After Aston Villa‘s drop in form and losing to fellow midlands club Wolves at the weekend, Rogers has not contributed a goal in the last three games.

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Bellingham has struggled to stay fit this season, suffering from a shoulder injury in the summer and left the pitch in tears last month as he had a hamstring issue.

He is not set to return until April meaning he will miss England’s final international break before the World Cup.

Cole Palmer is another England player who has fought injury battles this season, as the ex-Manchester City player has only played 19 games out of a possible 42, meaning the last time he was selected for the England squad was in June.

Additionally, many other Premier League players are looking for a late break to secure their seat on the plane.

Everton all-around midfielder, James Garner, has made the second most tackles and third most interceptions and recoveries among outfielders in the Premier League this season.

The March international break could be an opportunity for Tuchel to have a better look at the U-21 Euro winner despite having plenty of options in midfield.

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Other players include Mateus Mane, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Tyler Morton who is now playing abroad with Lyon.

England enter the tournament having reached the final of the EUROs twice in 2021 and 2024, losing to Italy and Spain.

Additionally, they have recently made it to the latter stages of the World Cup with the semi-finals in 2018 and the quarter finals in 2022.

The ex-Chelsea striker spoke on how England need to approach their bid to win the Jules Rimet.

He said: “To get the balance and the team ethics right they need to play in a way that gets you over the line.

“The first thing you’re going to win, a little bit like Arsenal, is not going to pretty.

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“It’s getting over that line and once they have, you will see in the next tournaments that England will bring some swagger.

“But in the meantime, you’re not going to do a Spain and win it in a really beautiful way, you need to get it over the line.”