England's 2022 World Cup forwards

Caps: 18 (2 goals)

Born: 28 May 2000 in Stockport

Debut: Iceland (Nations League) on 5 September 2020

English football fans have long been aware of Foden's burgeoning talent, with whispers of his ability emerging from within Manchester City's academy followed by impressive snippets of him during cameo appearances for Pep Guardiola's side.

Now, though, we are starting to see his potential realised.

Having provided nine goals and five assists in each of the past two Premier League seasons, during which there were periods of inconsistency in his form, he is already on course to beat those numbers this season in what has been a stellar campaign thus far.

Capable of operating on either side of the attack, as a false nine and also in midfield, Foden has yet to establish himself in the national side, growing his minutes in the World Cup qualifiers and Nations League games that followed his largely substitute appearances at Euro 2020.

After starting the first 10 of City's Premier League games this season, he has found himself on the bench in late October and early November. To Southgate's benefit, this means he will be fresh for the tournament in Qatar.

Caps: 24 (1 goal)

Born: 10 September 1995 in Birmingham

Debut: Denmark (Nations League) on 8 September 2020

The most expensive player in the history of English football is in the process of having to prove himself, for both club and country.

A £100m transfer fee brings high expectation and with that pressure to perform to the highest level. While Grealish has not been poor for Manchester City since his extremely high-profile switch from Aston Villa he has been a little underwhelming.

It has been a similar story in his limited appearances for England, half of which have involved coming off the bench. He has shown glimpses of his creative abilities, providing six assists for his country, two of which came at Euro 2020.

For those feeling disillusioned with the somewhat conservative nature of England under Southgate, Grealish is one of the emblems of what a bolder, braver national side might look like.

A useful weapon to have both to chase or manage a game, but he may need to prove himself from the bench if he is to stake a claim for greater involvement in Qatar.

Caps: 75 (51 goals)

Born: 28 July 1993 in London

Debut: Lithuania (European Championship qualifier) on 27 March 2015

The main man. England's captain, centre-forward and chief goal threat. Kane is the first name on Gareth Southgate's teamsheet and with very good reason.

Nobody else in the squad has consistently returned the kind of performances and tangible end product like the Tottenham striker has during Southgate's tenure as Three Lions boss.

In the 58 caps Kane has earned under Southgate, he has scored a stunning 46 goals, including a Golden Boot-winning six in 2018 in Russia and four at Euro 2020. Of late, he has not been able to match his frankly phenomenal goalscoring form of 2021, which saw him score 16 goals in as many internationals, but he remains the most potent of all English forwards.

There is a possibility that during the tournament in Qatar Kane will break Wayne Rooney's all-time England goals record; he needs four to surpass the former Everton and Manchester United forward. Considering his typically efficient form for Tottenham this season, there is every chance he will.

The only concern for England where Kane is concerned is who replaces him if he gets injured?

Caps: 1 (0 goals)

Born: 23 November 1996 in Coventry

Debut: Montenegro (European Championship qualifier) on 14 November 2019

If Southgate's World Cup squad for Qatar has a wildcard then Maddison is undoubtedly it. In truth, though, the form of the Leicester midfielder has been so good of late that he became impossible to ignore.

Having previously featured in England squads in 2019, during which he won his one and only cap, he has been left in the international wilderness, largely as a result of inconsistent club form.

However, since December 2021 he has been one of the best players in the Premier League, scoring goals regularly, providing assists and taking charge of games in a way few other English attacking midfielders have been able to match.

He is a fine creative player in open play, able to link midfield and attack with precise passing. He can also be lethal with a dead ball - a quality the England squad could have been lacking with the omission of James Ward-Prowse.

Maddison is unlikely to start but if they need an in-form, confident player to try and change a game, he could be just the man.

Caps: 46 (12 goals)

Born: 31 October 1997 in Manchester

Debut: Australia (friendly) on 27 May 2016

Rashford has had a few difficult years, with his form fluctuating for club side Manchester United. At his best, which we have been seeing more of late, he is a constant threat – quick, skilful, intelligent and with an eye for goal. But there are times he can make frustratingly little impact.

It has taken him a bit of time, but he seems now to have convinced new club boss Erik ten Hag of his value, not least with a devastating counter-attacking display against high-flying Arsenal in the Premier League, in which he scored twice in a 3-1 win. Southgate will undoubtedly have taken note.

Rashford's selection for Qatar represents a return to the England set-up following an absence of over a year. He came into Euro 2020 off the back of five goals in six caps and featured throughout the tournament.

His penalty miss in the final shootout with Italy led to him being sent racist abuse online, which was met with support for the player, not least of all the addition of hearts to a mural honouring him in Manchester that had been vandalised.

Having regained Southgate's faith, Rashford will now be eager to prove all his doubters and detractors wrong in Qatar.

Caps: 20 (4 goals)

Born: 5 September 2001 in London

Debut: Wales (friendly) on 8 October 2020

Saka has just 20 England caps to his name. He has only been a full international for just over two years. And yet he has already been on an emotional journey in a Three Lions shirt.

In only his sixth appearance for his country, he produced a superb display in a European Championship group-stage win over the Czech Republic, for which he was named man of the match.

His ninth cap would see him step off the bench in the final of the same competition and at the age of 19 put himself forward to take his side's fifth penalty in the shootout against Italy. His effort was saved giving Italy the trophy. In the aftermath, Saka was sent racist abuse online.

Saka has soared on the field since, excelling for an ever-improving Arsenal and furthering his cause for a regular starting spot for his country. In September, he was named England's player of the year for the 2021-22 season.

If picked on current form, it is hard to envisage an England side without Saka in it.

Caps: 79 (19 goals)

Born: 8 December 1994 in Kingston, Jamaica

Debut: Sweden (friendly) on 14 November 2012

Since 2014, Raheem Sterling has been an automatic pick for England.

This hasn't always yielded the desired results (his first 45 caps bringing just two goals) but the evidence of the forward's displays in the Premier League and the promise of what he could produce on the international stage convinced both Roy Hodgson and Gareth Southgate he was worth the persistence.

Southgate was rewarded with a run of 15 goals in 23 games, starting in October 2018 through to the final of Euro 2020. Since then, though, like much of the side, his form has tailed off.

A move from Manchester City to Chelsea in the summer has failed so far to rejuvenate his career as he, the Blues and Southgate would have hoped.

With a lot of Southgate's other options in wide attacking areas short of international experience, Sterling will bring plenty of that. And if he can find some form again, he is more than capable of supplying a goal threat lacking across the side, barring the lethal Kane.

Caps: 4 (1 goal)

Born: 27 February 1992 in Coventry

Debut: United States (friendly) on 15 November 2018

If taking Wilson to Qatar is a gamble from Southgate, it is a very calculated one.

The Newcastle striker has struggled with injuries throughout the past few years but when he is fit and firing he is as capable as any current English forward of providing an effective back-up to first-choice Kane.

That he is currently thriving for an upwardly mobile Newcastle side only enhances his attractiveness to a manager who has experimented with little success to find fitting competition at number nine.

His recent club record when he is fit is exactly what is required - not far off a goal every two games. He is beating that ratio this season, which edged him ahead of the likes of Ivan Toney for a place in Qatar.

His last international game came back in 2019, when he came off the bench in a 6-0 Euros qualifying win against Bulgaria.

He is one of a small collection of England players to score on his debut, in a 3-0 friendly win over the USA in 2018.