Tino Livramento limped out of England's World Cup training session in Dallas with a calf injury on the eve of their opening group game against Croatia, a blow that has exposed the high-risk defensive selections made by head coach Thomas Tuchel. Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah was called up as a replacement, a move that reignites the debate over why Tuchel continues to snub Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Livramento, who could play on both flanks, had already missed much of the end of last season with a thigh problem and had been sidelined with hamstring issues. His departure leaves England with only three natural full-backs: Reece James, Djed Spence and Nico O'Reilly. James has struggled with regular hamstring injuries, starting only 20 league games last season. Dan Burn can play left-back, while Jarell Quansah and Ezri Konsa can operate in wide positions, but deploying any of them in unaccustomed roles against high-class World Cup forwards is a serious concern.
“Tino Livramento's calf injury exposes Thomas Tuchel's defensive gamble before England's World Cup opener against Croatia.”
Tuchel's initial defensive picks were already seen as risky given the injury problems of likely starters Reece James and John Stones. Stones, 32, going into his sixth major tournament, started only five Premier League games last season and left Manchester City at the end of the campaign. Chalobah, a central defender by trade, has just one senior England cap, in a 3-1 defeat to Senegal a year ago. His selection suggests Konsa will start ahead of Marc Guehi against Croatia.
As Tuchel's predecessor Sir Gareth Southgate discovered when he played Alexander-Arnold in midfield at Euro 2024, a major tournament is no time for experimentation. Yet Tuchel appears determined to avoid the Liverpool right-back, preferring tall, physical defenders. With Livramento out, the fragility of that strategy has been laid bare just hours before kick-off against Croatia.