Tino Livramento's World Cup Dream in Jeopardy

Tino Livramento’s World Cup dream is hanging by a thread.

The Newcastle United full-back has suffered a muscular injury in training, leaving England and head coach Thomas Tuchel facing an unwelcome headache just days before their World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday night (21:00 BST).

The problem is understood to have occurred during Sunday’s session, with medical staff now assessing the extent of the damage. England can replace an outfield player in their World Cup squad up to 24 hours before their first game, and that clock is already ticking.

A cruel twist for Livramento

For Livramento, 23, the timing could hardly be worse. His involvement in the tournament was already in doubt after he missed the final five weeks of the club season with a thigh injury. He worked his way back, forced himself into Tuchel’s plans, and appeared to have done just enough to travel.

He made his international debut under Gareth Southgate in November 2024 and has since featured five times during Tuchel’s tenure, starting twice. There was a sense of momentum about him: a modern, adventurous full-back finally getting a clear run at the biggest stage.

That momentum now stalls. He came on at half-time in England’s 1-0 warm-up win over New Zealand, a useful 45 minutes that hinted at his attacking threat, but stayed on the bench against Costa Rica. Now he may not get the chance to influence anything at all.

Chalobah on standby

If Livramento is ruled out, Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah is the leading candidate to step in from the standby list.

Chalobah, 26, has not played for England since June 2025, when he completed the full 90 minutes in a friendly against Senegal. He has, however, remained close to the setup, regularly named on the bench for World Cup qualifiers under Tuchel without getting on the pitch.

Like Ezri Konsa, Chalobah’s preferred role is at centre-back, but his tactical flexibility and comfort in a back three or four make him an attractive emergency option. In a tournament where squad depth can define a campaign, that versatility suddenly feels more valuable.

Right-back under strain

Tuchel’s right side of defence is now under real scrutiny.

Reece James is the established first choice at right-back, but his own fitness is hardly guaranteed after another stop-start, injury-hit season with Chelsea. The 26-year-old missed nine games at the end of the campaign because of a hamstring issue, and every sprint in training is being watched closely.

Behind him, Tuchel does have cover. Djed Spence, capable of operating on both flanks, has featured six times under the England boss. Konsa, predominantly a centre-back but capable of shuffling across when needed, has already played 11 times, starting nine.

On paper, that looks like depth. In reality, it feels like a unit being held together by form, fitness, and hope.

England open their World Cup bid against Croatia with expectations sky-high and margins razor-thin. Whether Livramento is there to be part of it now depends on what the next 24 to 48 hours reveal in the treatment room.