Thomas Tuchel continues to search for the right balance in England’s attack. The challenge is not only ensuring Harry Kane remains productive, but also finding ways for the rest of the squad to become more influential in the final third. Against Panama, Jude Bellingham produced a display that offered encouragement on both fronts.

Kane has remained England’s leading attacking figure under Tuchel. Across the manager’s 17 matches in charge, the captain has scored 13 times, while no teammate has managed more than three goals during the same period. He found the net from the penalty spot and later headed home from a corner against Croatia, although he also missed a rebound opportunity against Ghana by firing over the crossbar.

Despite those goals, England have struggled to create enough opportunities for their striker during open play. Much of Kane’s involvement has come from set pieces or moments created through his own movement.

The Supply Line Remains a Concern

For most centre-forwards, receiving fewer passes than teammates is perfectly normal. Kane often attempts to compensate by dropping into deeper areas to influence play himself, but England’s issue has centered on who is supplying their No. 9.

The passing patterns throughout the tournament have been revealing. Jordan Pickford matched the highest number of passes to Kane during England’s opening match, delivering three. In the second game, Marc Guéhi led the team with the same figure.

Against Panama, three players managed four passes each to the striker, yet the most significant contribution came from Bellingham. The midfielder required only two successful deliveries to Kane to demonstrate that the quality of passes matters far more than their quantity.

A Partnership Yet to Fully Develop

Considering their individual talents, it remains surprising that Bellingham and Kane have not established a stronger connection for England.

Statistics from Opta showed that before the Panama encounter, Bellingham had created only three chances for England’s all-time leading scorer during the 1,154 minutes they had shared on the field at major tournaments.

Their only previous goal combination for England before this World Cup arrived during a friendly victory at Hampden Park in 2023. The pass that unlocked Scotland’s defense that evening closely resembled the through ball Bellingham produced against Panama.

The Turning Point Against Panama

England’s attack struggled to create danger during the opening stages of the match. By the 56th minute, the team had accumulated just 0.54 expected goals.

Everything changed when Bellingham threaded a precise pass through the defense to Kane, creating England’s first major chance according to Opta’s classification. Over the following 10 minutes, the midfielder continued to shape the contest.

He earned the corner that led to a goal, scored himself from the resulting set piece, and later provided the assist for Kane as England doubled their advantage.

The sequence demonstrated how influential Bellingham can become when operating close to England’s captain.

Numbers Highlight Bellingham’s Influence

Opta’s expected assists model evaluates how likely completed passes are to become assists. Against Panama, Bellingham recorded an expected assist value of 0.57, the highest total produced by any England player in a group-stage match.

Only Noni Madueke surpassed that figure during the entire group phase, finishing with 0.66 across the three matches.

Much of Bellingham’s contribution came directly through his connection with Kane. The opportunities he created for the striker ranked as the second-highest and joint-fourth highest-value chances generated by one England player for another during the group stage.

Tuchel’s Next Challenge

The evidence from the Panama match gives Tuchel a potential blueprint moving forward. England have long depended heavily on Kane’s finishing ability, but the team requires more consistent support around him.

The next test could arrive against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who are expected to defend deep and employ a compact low block on Wednesday.

For England, the key question is whether the understanding between Bellingham and Kane can become a regular feature rather than an occasional spark. If that partnership continues to develop, Tuchel may finally discover the attacking balance his side has been missing.