Trevoh Chalobah is on his way to Kansas City after being drafted into England’s World Cup squad as an injury replacement for Tino Livramento, who suffered a calf injury in training on Sunday – just three days before the tournament opener against Croatia. The 23-year-old Newcastle full-back had already been a fitness doubt after missing the final five weeks of the season with a thigh injury, but Thomas Tuchel included him for his versatility on either flank. That gamble backfired when Livramento pulled up during a session before England’s first match, which kicks off at 21:00 BST on Wednesday in Dallas. FIFA rules allow an outfield player to be replaced up to 24 hours before the team’s first game, so the Chelsea defender will join the squad in Kansas City while the rest of the squad heads to Texas. He will not be available for the Croatia match.
Chalobah, 26, has played only once for England – the full 90 minutes in a 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal in June 2025 – but he has been on the bench for multiple World Cup qualifiers under Tuchel. His call-up completes a personal dream: on the day of the 2018 World Cup final, as a 19-year-old, he tweeted: “One day #Believe.” The FA confirmed in a statement: “Arrangements are now being made for the Chelsea defender to make the journey to the team’s basecamp in Kansas City.”
“Trevoh Chalobah replaces injured Tino Livramento in England's World Cup squad on eve of Croatia opener.”
Tuchel’s decision to turn to a natural centre-back reflects his preference for tall, positionally versatile players within a system he is unlikely to change mid-tournament. The German has built his squad around 14 players he trusts to carry the load – the 11 who started the last warm-up against Costa Rica plus Marc Guehi, Marcus Rashford and Morgan Rogers – while the rest are “specialists” for tactical situations. Reece James remains first choice at right-back, but his own fitness is a question mark after another injury-hit campaign that saw him miss nine games for Chelsea at the end of the season with a hamstring problem. Djed Spence, who can play on both flanks, has six caps under Tuchel, and Ezri Konsa, primarily a centre-back, has 11.
Livramento, who made his England debut under Gareth Southgate in November 2024, started twice in Tuchel’s five appearances for him. He played the first half of a 1-0 win over New Zealand but was left on the bench against Costa Rica. Now the tournament is over before it began – a bitter end for a player who had battled back from a thigh injury only to be undone by a calf problem in the final training session before England’s biggest test.