Reece James will not participate in England’s upcoming World Cup fixtures as he recovers from a hamstring injury. The right-back, who has faced similar issues in the past, experienced tightness following the team’s goalless draw with Ghana in Boston on Tuesday.
On Friday, James did not join the training session in Kansas City ahead of their flight to New York, where they are set to face Panama in their final group stage match on Saturday. Consequently, he will miss this match and potentially the subsequent round of 32 game.
James sustained his hamstring injury while playing for Chelsea against Newcastle on March 14 and was sidelined for nearly two months. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel considers him a key player, having relied on him for the full 90 minutes against both Croatia and Ghana.
However, there was always a risk associated with his condition due to the necessity of managing his minutes and the intense scheduling of the World Cup. England aims to play eight matches within 33 days during their time in North America.
Initially, Tuchel had chosen Tino Livramento as James’ backup, but the Newcastle player suffered a calf injury just before the tournament began. In response, Tuchel called up Chelsea center-back Trevoh Chalobah and mentioned that Jarell Quansah, primarily a central defender, could also fill in as a right-back. Other alternatives for Tuchel include Ezri Konsa and Djed Spence, both of whom are also center-backs.
Interestingly, Tuchel decided against bringing in Trent Alexander-Arnold from Real Madrid, a player he seems to have reservations about. Alexander-Arnold has only been selected for one squad since June of the previous year.
