It has been a jarring moment for the Three Lions. A fresh hamstring issue in training has put an end to any hopes of using Livramento. It is a timing issue for Tuchel; he had his head around how to deal with Croatia and now has to do a U-turn on his right side, rehashing some of the selection calls he was done with.
You could call it a hard way to see a bold pick come to nothing. The 23-year-old had only put a thigh niggling behind him to make the 26-man squad and was in line for a start. With James not quite at 100 per cent, Livramento was meant to be the one to step up.
A selection gamble that unravelled
Tuchel had a lot of time for Livramento’s no-nonsense defending and the fact he can play either side. That kind of versatility is what gives you balance. Now, with this latest spate of trouble at the training ground, he is done for the tournament and there is a hole in the structure you can’t just plug with anyone.
The irony is you could see his path upwards. Since making his mark under Southgate in 2024, he has been in and out for Tuchel, starting twice. He made an impact when he came on at the break against New Zealand, even if he didn’t get to show his hand in the Costa Rica game.
What the injury means for Tuchel’s plan
On paper, James is your man at right-back, but after nine games on the sidelines with a hamstring, his fitness is still being watched. So with Livramento gone, you either have to shore up the flank or move some of the work around at the back.
That might mean looking to cover from the centre. Ezri Konsa is in the mix and has the calmness to drift wide. Or you have Ben White, who can be an option if Tuchel wants to mix things up and change who is doing what on the wing.
Where the right flank stands now
There is depth, but you have to make do. You have Djed Spence, who has six caps for Tuchel and can go either way, but he doesn’t have the same pedigree in the big ones. Then there is Konsa – 11 times in the shirt, nine of them as a starter – though he is more at home in the middle of the park.
Don’t hold your breath for Trent Alexander-Arnold. There is some noise about it, but a reversal of that decision is not in the cards; he has been left out for good reason. It makes the choices harder and puts the onus on the sort of multi-faceted defender Tuchel likes to have on his side.
Replacement options and the 24-hour rule
The rules are clear: you can make a swap up to 24 hours before the first match if the name was on the 55-man list. That has put Trevoh Chalobah at the top of the pile. He is the one who can do the job, be it right-back or in the centre.
He is not exactly in the groove, but he has been there. His last cap was in June 2025 for a full 90 in a friendly with Senegal and he has been in the room for the qualifiers. He would give you some height, pace in recovery and a bit of an edge.
So here is what Tuchel has to figure out ahead of the Croatia tie:
– Is he going to bring in Chalobah in the next day or so?
– What is the honest number of minutes for James?
– Do you let the backline be a little lopsided?
What comes next for England’s defence
You can’t just put in a like-for-like for Livramento and be done with it. The idea is to be tight, be sensible at full-back and stick with what you know while the final word is said. Whatever he does, it has to be a fix that will hold up for the whole month.
When the whistle goes for the opener, we will see if the contingency plans are up to scratch. The window for a replacement is all but shut, so we should have an answer soon. But make no mistake, England are starting this with some pressure on and there is less room to slip up than there was a week ago.
