Trevoh Chalobah replaces Livramento in England World Cup squad

England have been forced into a late change ahead of their opening match at the FIFA World Cup after defender Tino Livramento was ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury.

The Times claims Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah has been drafted into Thomas Tuchel’s squad to replace Livramento, who will miss what would have been his World Cup debut.

The timing is particularly unfortunate for Livramento, who had been pushing for a place in England’s starting line-up for the opening group-stage clash against Croatia.

The Magpies’ full-back was brought in for his versatility. Being able to play on either side of the defence offered valuable flexibility, making the 23-year-old a key part of Tuchel’s plans.

Chalobah will now get a shot at the World Cup in his place. While he is primarily a centre-back, he has also shown he can operate at right-back and in defensive midfield when required.

His versatility likely played a major role in Tuchel’s decision to call him up. The connection between Tuchel and Chalobah runs deep.

Tuchel handed Chalobah his Chelsea debut in 2021 and later gave him his first senior England call-up.

Chalobah has limited international experience, having made only one appearance for England in a friendly against Senegal last year.

While he is not expected to feature against Croatia, he will be available for England’s remaining group matches against Ghana and Panama.

The injury continues a frustrating run of fitness problems for Livramento. The Newcastle defender was restricted to just 17 Premier League appearances last term.

Knee injuries, a hamstring problem and a thigh issue all disrupted his season, and this latest setback has now cost him a place on football’s biggest stage. He will return to Newcastle to begin rehabilitation.

Under FIFA rules, teams may replace an injured outfield player up to 24 hours before their first World Cup match, provided the replacement is from the provisional squad submitted before the tournament.