Tino Livramento has suffered a hamstring injury in training and is now expected to miss the entire 2026 World Cup. England lost one of their defensive options just hours before their opening match against Croatia on Wednesday night.
England Lose Livramento
Livramento had already played 45 minutes in England's 1-0 victory over New Zealand and then watched the 3-0 win over Costa Rica from the bench as an unused substitute. He has made six senior England appearances since his debut two years ago, and the latest setback comes after he was limited to 26 appearances for Newcastle last season.
That leaves Thomas Tuchel to adjust again before Group L begins. England also face Ghana and Panama, but the immediate issue is replacing a full-back who had already been used in the warm-up games and was part of the squad plan heading into the tournament.
Trevoh Chalobah Steps In
Trevoh Chalobah is expected to be called up as Livramento's replacement. He has one England cap, earned in the 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal last year, and would join a defensive group that already includes Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Jarell Quansah, Dan Burn and John Stones as Tuchel's five central defenders.
Harry Maguire was not included in the initial 26-man World Cup squad, leaving England without another senior defensive name from the first selection. His omission had already drawn a strong reaction from Maguire and his family, and this latest injury forces another change before a ball is kicked in Croatia.
Tuchel's Squad Shift
England's preparation had gone cleanly enough with wins over New Zealand and Costa Rica, but the injury alters the balance of the back line at the worst possible moment. Chalobah now looks set to inherit the vacancy, and Tuchel must settle on a revised defensive group before the opener on Wednesday night.
