Tino Livramento's World Cup Dream in Jeopardy
Tino Livramento’s World Cup dream is hanging by a thread.
The Newcastle United full-back suffered a muscular injury in training on Sunday and is now a serious doubt for England’s campaign, with medical staff assessing the extent of the damage. The timing could hardly be worse: England kick off their World Cup bid against Croatia on Wednesday night at 21:00 BST.
For Livramento, 23, this is another brutal twist in a stop-start year. His place in Gareth Southgate’s squad had already been under scrutiny after he missed the final five weeks of the domestic season with a thigh problem. He had done just enough to convince the England staff he was worth the risk. Now that gamble may be about to backfire.
Selection headache on the eve of kickoff
England still have a narrow window to act. World Cup regulations allow teams to replace outfield players who suffer a serious injury or illness up to 24 hours before their opening match. If Livramento is ruled out, Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, currently on the stand-by list, is the most obvious replacement.
Chalobah, 26, has not played for England since June 2025, when he completed the full 90 minutes in a friendly against Senegal, but he remained close to the picture, making the bench for several World Cup qualifiers under Thomas Tuchel. Like Ezri Konsa, another versatile option already in the squad, Chalobah’s primary role is at centre-back, which would slightly reshape the balance of England’s defensive options.
Livramento’s emergence at international level had been one of the more encouraging stories of the past year. Handed his debut by Southgate in November 2024, he has featured five times under Tuchel, starting twice. He impressed enough to be trusted in the build-up to this tournament, coming on at half-time in the 1-0 warm-up win over New Zealand, though he remained unused against Costa Rica.
Right-back riddles for Tuchel
Tuchel’s first-choice right-back remains Reece James, but even that pillar is not entirely secure. James, 26, endured another injury-disrupted campaign with Chelsea, missing nine matches at the end of the season because of a hamstring issue. His quality is not in doubt; his durability is.
Behind him, England do have cover, if not the same level of experience in tournament football. Djed Spence, capable of operating on both flanks, has played six times under Tuchel and offers pace and aggression out wide. Konsa, predominantly a centre-back with 11 caps and nine starts, provides flexibility across the back line but is not a natural attacking full-back.
Livramento sat somewhere between those profiles: energetic, forward-thinking, and comfortable in advanced areas, yet disciplined enough to slot into a back four. Losing him would not just be a numerical blow; it would strip Tuchel of a different type of full-back option at a time when England’s defensive fitness is already under the microscope.
Now England wait for the scans, the verdict, and a decision that could reshape their defensive plan just hours before a ball is kicked in Croatia.
