Livramento undergoes surgery after calf injury ends his World Cup 2026 campaign

Tino Livramento has had surgery on the calf injury that cut short his World Cup 2026 involvement, Newcastle United confirmed, with the full-back now targeting a return during pre-season ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

The 23-year-old had been named in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad and travelled to the United States, but was injured in training before the Three Lions’ Group L opener against Croatia. Trevoh Chalobah was called up as his replacement.

“Newcastle United can confirm that Tino Livramento has successfully undergone a minor surgical procedure,” the club said in a statement. “The defender, who returned from World Cup duty with an injury, is expected to return during pre-season. Everyone at the club wishes Tino a smooth and speedy recovery.”

Tuchel did not conceal his disappointment when addressing the injury after Livramento left the squad. “I was very disappointed and very sad,” the England manager said. “All of us were. It was a little shock in training when he stopped and he straight away had the feeling that this could be an injury that costs him the tournament and, unfortunately, he was right.”

The setback is another cruel blow for a player whose career has been repeatedly disrupted by fitness problems. Livramento made just 17 Premier League appearances last season — a significant drop from the near-ever-present role he filled in 2024-25, when he missed only one league game. Widely considered one of England’s most promising full-backs, he has earned six senior caps, four of them under Tuchel.

Livramento joined Newcastle from Southampton in 2023 and has established himself as a key figure at St James’ Park when fit. His target for a return is Newcastle’s Premier League opener on Sunday, 23 August, when Liverpool visit St James’ Park.