England vs Costa Rica Friendly Preview, Lineups & Pick

England’s final friendly before the World Cup should feel very different from the low-key, half-and-half experiment that produced a 1-0 win over New Zealand in Tampa. Thomas Tuchel has spent much of the build-up rotating heavily, but with Croatia waiting in the opener on Wednesday, 17 June, the England vs Costa Rica preview now points toward something much closer to a real tournament dress rehearsal in Orlando.

That matters because the New Zealand match was described by Tuchel as a chance to mix the squad after only four training sessions together and a long gap since many of the players last lined up together in November. Harry Kane again supplied the decisive moment, scoring with a header from Djed Spence’s cross in first-half stoppage time, but the second-half changes showed how far England still are from a settled World Cup rhythm. Against Costa Rica, the task is not simply to win, but to build the right combinations in time for Croatia.

England Need Rhythm

Tuchel’s experimentation has already included unusual lineups against Uruguay and Japan in March, when Phil Foden was used up front against Japan and the squad featured names that did not make the final World Cup group. The New Zealand game underlined the upside and limits of that approach: England were solid enough, but they created very little before Kane’s finish, and Ivan Toney’s second-half cameo did little to suggest he is a ready-made deputy for the captain.

There is also a fitness angle. Tuchel reported no injuries from the New Zealand friendly, which is exactly what England needed after a warm-up in Tampa’s searing heat. The issue now is less about survival and more about sharpness, because the final England vs Costa Rica preview is really about deciding which players will start against Croatia and which relationships are already reliable enough under pressure.

• Jordan Pickford remains the clear first-choice goalkeeper after a largely quiet outing against New Zealand.
• John Stones and Marc Guehi both got 45 minutes in Tampa and should be in the conversation for the back line again.
• Harry Kane is still the focal point after scoring the winner, but Tuchel may want to control his workload.
• Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice are the most important midfield reference points if Tuchel wants something close to his best XI.

For more recent international build-up context, England’s approach is similar in importance to the clean, controlled wins seen in our Peru vs Spain Friendly Preview, Lineups and Prediction and the decisive home display discussed in Belgium 5-0 Tunisia Recap: Red Devils Run Riot.

Possible England Lineup

Tuchel’s biggest selection call is whether to continue testing depth or finally settle on a structure that resembles the Croatia plan. The evidence from the New Zealand match suggests a stronger, more familiar XI is now more likely, especially with the final tune-up arriving just days before the tournament begins.

Likely England XI

Jordan Pickford; Reece James, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Marc Guehi; Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham; Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford; Harry Kane.

That shape gives Tuchel control in midfield and enough pace around Kane to stretch Costa Rica. It also fits the narrative of England’s recent preparation: the team are no longer in a pure trial phase, and the preview of this friendly suggests the manager needs continuity more than novelty.

If Tuchel decides to keep the door open for rotation, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, Jordan Henderson, and Ivan Toney are among the players who could feature again after appearing against New Zealand. But the key message from Tampa was clear: the closer England get to their first World Cup match, the less room there is for experiments.

Costa Rica's Test

Costa Rica arrive with the very different challenge of trying to absorb England’s possession and pace while keeping the scoreline respectable. England’s defensive record in qualifying was flawless enough to set the tone for what Tuchel wants, while Costa Rica’s own recent build-up has not shown the same stability or level of opposition resistance.

This makes the game less about an upset and more about whether Costa Rica can stay organised long enough to force England into a slower, more positional contest. New Zealand, ranked 85th in the world, were already stretched by England for long periods; Costa Rica are likely to need an even more disciplined defensive shape to prevent Kane, Bellingham and Saka from finding pockets between the lines.

The wider World Cup preparation picture also shows how differently teams are approaching these final friendlies. Scotland’s 4-0 win over Bolivia and other recent tune-ups have been used to sharpen combinations and finish selection debates, much like the work examined in our Netherlands vs Uzbekistan Friendly Preview, Lineups & Pick and France vs Northern Ireland Friendly Preview and Prediction.

Key England Players

Harry Kane remains the obvious headline act. He scored again against New Zealand, and his ability to convert limited chances is exactly why Tuchel will be wary of overworking him. The goal came from a Djed Spence delivery, reinforcing the value of England’s full-backs supplying early service into the box.

Jude Bellingham is the other central figure in this preview. If England are moving toward a more settled World Cup structure, Bellingham’s link-up play with Kane and the wide forwards will be one of the most important relationships in the side. Behind them, Declan Rice provides the protection that allows England to push higher up the pitch.

At the back, John Stones and Marc Guehi looked comfortable enough against New Zealand, while Jordan Pickford had little to do. The biggest question is whether Tuchel starts to lock in the same defenders twice in a row, or whether he continues the broad rotation that produced the most recent hybrid England selection.

Prediction

England should be sharper and stronger than they were against New Zealand, simply because the stakes are now higher. The New Zealand match was effectively a controlled training exercise; Costa Rica should bring more resistance, but they are unlikely to match England for depth, quality or attacking options.

Given Kane’s form, Tuchel’s desire for rhythm before Croatia, and the expectation that England will field a more recognisable team, the most likely outcome is a comfortable home victory with a clean sheet. The best England vs Costa Rica preview reading is that England use this game to sharpen patterns rather than chase a spectacle, and that usually points to a measured result.

Prediction: England 2-0 Costa Rica. Kane looks the most likely scorer again, while a more settled back line should be enough to keep Costa Rica from turning the game into a chaotic final warm-up.

For more match modelling and data-led football insights, ScorePoint AI combines tactical context with live predictions across the game. Explore our AI predictions or chat with our AI assistant for deeper pre-match analysis.

Ultimately, this friendly is about building momentum for Croatia, not proving England can dominate every phase. If Tuchel selects his strongest available side, the England vs Costa Rica preview points to a controlled win, a cleaner attacking structure and one last chance to leave the testing phase behind.