England face a late selection test
England’s right-back options are thinning ahead of their last-32 match in Atlanta on 1 July. Jarell Quansah and Reece James are both doubtful, while Tino Livramento is already out of the tournament. Thomas Tuchel says he’ll need to find another solution if Quansah’s latest injury rules him out, leaving the manager with less time to settle on a plan for the position.
The problem is one of availability and fit. Quansah is a centre-back by trade, so his role at right-back has already asked him to work outside his usual position. James, meanwhile, is also racing the clock. With Livramento unavailable, England’s remaining choices are under pressure before the next match has even begun.
Quansah played the first hour of England’s 2-0 win over Panama before being helped off. Tuchel said the former Liverpool player had twisted his ankle and was in pain, while describing it as an injury Quansah had experienced before. That history may give the staff some familiarity with the problem, but it doesn’t settle the question that matters: whether he’ll be fit in time.
“He has suffered a classic ankle twist and he is in pain,” Tuchel said. “He said he had it before and it is a matter of days. He has his leg up high and in ice.”
Right-back options under pressure
Djed Spence replaced Quansah against Panama, giving England an immediate alternative during the match. But Tuchel acknowledged the growing strain on the choices at right-back, with James also trying to get fit and Livramento already out of the tournament. A replacement can cover the position on paper; the harder task is deciding how much confidence to place in that option for a knockout match.
“Of course we have another injury in the position,” he said. “It will be a tight race for Reece James and a very tight race for Jarell Quansah but it is our job to find solutions and we will do.”
Tuchel’s comments make the uncertainty plain. Both timelines are tight, and there’s no guarantee that either player will be available. That leaves the coaching staff weighing the players they can select against the roles they can ask them to perform. In a tournament, injuries often force that kind of adjustment: a manager may need to change the personnel, the responsibilities within the team, or both.
This is more significant than it looks. A right-back’s job isn’t limited to defending the flank; the position can shape how a team moves the ball and covers space when possession changes. The source doesn’t establish what tactical changes England might make, but the shortage gives Tuchel a practical problem to solve. He’ll need to judge who’s ready and what the team can reasonably ask of them.
And this is the part most people overlook: a player’s nominal position doesn’t tell the whole story. Quansah’s background as a centre-back may offer one set of strengths, while an available replacement could bring a different profile. England’s choice will depend on who’s fit and how Tuchel wants the side to function. No easy answer.
Bellingham and Kane deliver
Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored within seven minutes of each other to secure England’s 2-0 win over Panama. Tuchel praised their influence, particularly after half-time, saying their impact was what England needed from the pair. The goals settled the match, while their timing gave the team a decisive stretch of play after the break.
That contribution matters in the context of a match where England also lost Quansah to injury. A win provides a positive result, but it doesn’t remove the selection questions raised by an injured player or guarantee that the next game will follow the same pattern. Tuchel can take encouragement from the performance of his senior attackers while still needing to address a thinner defensive option.
Kane’s goal took him to 11 in World Cups, moving him past Gary Lineker as England’s record scorer in the competition. Tuchel said he learned of the milestone during interviews after the match and welcomed the achievement. He praised Kane as a valued teammate who remains hungry to go further in the tournament.
The record adds personal significance to a result that already helped England progress to their last-32 match. Yet Tuchel’s praise also points to the forward’s continuing role within the squad: Kane’s achievement is a landmark, but the manager described a player still focused on what comes next. If you’re following England’s campaign, that’s the balance to watch—celebration for a record, alongside the immediate work of preparing for the next match.
The next decision
England leave the Panama match with a win and an unresolved question at right-back. Quansah’s ankle injury, James’s fitness race and Livramento’s absence have narrowed the available choices, while Spence’s appearance gives Tuchel an option to consider. The manager has said the timelines are tight and that finding solutions is his job. The practical test will be whether the available players can fill the role England need when the team takes the field in Atlanta.