Chalobah's surprise call-up replaces injured Livramento in England's World Cup squad

Trevoh Chalobah has been drafted into England’s 2026 World Cup squad as a late replacement for Tino Livramento, who was forced to withdraw from the tournament with a calf injury ahead of the Three Lions’ Group L opener against Croatia on 17 June at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Livramento’s inclusion in Thomas Tuchel’s original 26-man squad had already raised eyebrows after the Newcastle United full-back missed the final five fixtures of his club’s season with a thigh problem. His subsequent withdrawal has only deepened the scrutiny, with Chalobah — a centre-back by trade — stepping in to fill a position that many supporters feel should have gone to a natural right-back.

Chalobah, 26, holds just one senior England cap, earned in a 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal in 2025. He will miss the opening match against Croatia while he travels to Kansas City — England’s tournament base — to prepare for the squad’s second fixture.

The decision has intensified debate around several players who were absent from Tuchel’s initial selection and again overlooked here. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Lewis Hall, and Harry Maguire were all notable omissions from the original squad; with a right-back slot now available, the absence of Alexander-Arnold and Hall in particular has drawn pointed criticism from fans.

With Livramento gone, Tuchel is left with Reece James and Djed Spence as his only natural right-back options. Chalobah’s arrival does not address that positional imbalance directly, a fact that has not gone unnoticed among supporters tracking England’s preparations.

England’s build-up to the tournament has already been disrupted by an unrelated incident — a reported robbery involving members of the squad’s travelling party — making the Livramento injury a second unwanted complication in the space of days. Tuchel’s side will be hoping the turbulence off the pitch does not carry over when they face Croatia in their Group L opener.