Spence injury leaves Tuchel scrambling for right-back options ahead of England vs Mexico

Djed Spence has been ruled out of England’s 2026 World Cup Round of 16 tie against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca after picking up an injury in training, leaving Thomas Tuchel with a depleted set of right-back options for the fixture.

Spence, who had trained with the squad the day before the game, is understood to have sustained the problem during that session. The Tottenham Hotspur full-back had been serving as cover after Reece James was sidelined with a hamstring injury and Tino Livramento missed the tournament entirely. Jarell Quansah, who missed the Round of 32 win over DR Congo with an ankle problem, has returned to training in recent days but may not be ready to start.

The setbacks leave Tuchel weighing up three options: deploying Declan Rice at right-back, shifting Ezri Konsa across from his natural position, or recalling Quansah. Rice did fill in at right-back during the closing stages of England’s 2-1 victory over DR Congo and the side looked more defensively solid, though moving him from central midfield removes one of the team’s most influential players from his best position.

The injury crisis at right-back has cast fresh scrutiny on Tuchel’s decision not to call up Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Real Madrid full-back who spent the bulk of his career at Liverpool operating in exactly the position England now find themselves short of cover in.

England reached the last 16 unbeaten, navigating group-stage fixtures against Croatia, Ghana, Panama and DR Congo. The DR Congo match was the most testing — the Three Lions fell behind before Harry Kane struck twice to seal the win.

The Azteca presents its own challenges beyond the opposition. The stadium sits approximately 2,240 metres above sea level, significantly higher than Ben Nevis, the United Kingdom’s tallest peak at 1,345 metres, meaning altitude will be a factor for both sides.

The venue carries deep history for England. It was here in 1986 that Diego Maradona scored the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal to knock the Three Lions out of that year’s World Cup. England’s overall record at the Azteca reads three defeats, two victories and one draw — the draw coming against tonight’s opponents Mexico in a 1969 friendly.