England Loses Defender Tino Livramento Ahead of World Cup Opener Against Croatia

England's national football team will be without defender Tino Livramento for the 2026 World Cup after he suffered a leg muscle injury. The player was removed from the squad just one day before England's opening match against Croatia.

Coach Thomas Tuchel responded by calling up Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah to fill the vacancy left by Livramento's absence.

Livramento, capable of playing both right and left full-back positions, was expected to make his debut in a major tournament with England and was likely to feature in the opening game against Croatia.

The England squad also includes full-backs Reece James, Jed Spence, and Niko O'Riley.

Chalobah primarily plays as a center-back but has previously been deployed as a right full-back on several occasions for Chelsea.

Internationally, Chalobah has limited experience, having appeared in only one match for England. That appearance was his debut in a friendly match that ended in a 3-1 defeat to Senegal in June of the previous year.

Livramento's withdrawal from the World Cup follows a challenging season with Newcastle United, during which he suffered a series of injuries.

He managed to participate in only 17 Premier League matches during the 2025-2026 season due to recurring physical issues.

Last year, Livramento endured two knee injuries that sidelined him for nearly two months. In January, he sustained a hamstring injury that caused him to miss 15 matches.

His difficulties continued with another thigh injury in April, which prematurely ended his domestic season and ruled him out of the remaining games.

As a result of these ongoing physical setbacks, England faces a setback by losing one of its key defensive options ahead of the World Cup. Trevoh Chalobah has been called up to replace Livramento in Thomas Tuchel's squad.