Thomas Tuchel makes remarkable England injury claim as World Cup plans hit

Thomas Tuchel is used to the injuries from his time at Chelsea -Credit:FRANCK FIFE, AFP via Getty Images England head coach Thomas Tuchel insisted that Reece James' hamstring injury came as a complete surprise, despite having dealt with the same issue during his time in charge at Chelsea.

>Tuchel faced considerable criticism when he announced his 26-man roster for the FIFA World Cup, with notable omissions across multiple positions. The German coach has made his intentions clear, prioritizing team performance over individual selection, and England got off to a brilliant start at the tournament with a 4-2 victory over Croatia.

>The momentum stalled somewhat after England was held to a goalless draw by Ghana in its second group-stage fixture, though confidence in the camp remains strong. Tuchel then delivered the concerning news that James had picked up a hamstring problem ahead of the Panama clash, reigniting the debate surrounding his squad choices.

>• Gianni Infantino confirms Donald Trump to present FIFA World Cup Trophy at final

>• FIFA considers penalty shootout rule change ahead of World Cup knockouts

>England has already secured a place in the knockout rounds, but James is expected to miss at least the Round of 32 match. His designated backup, Tino Livramento, was also sidelined and ruled out of the tournament entirely, prompting Tuchel to call up Trevoh Chalobah as a replacement.

>The situation left Tuchel short at right-back, with Jarel Quansah and Nico O'Reilly capable of filling the role, though neither considers it their primary position. Quansah is also a concern with an ankle injury sustained against Panama on Saturday.

>Djed Spence is likely to be England's first-choice right-back moving forward. While the setback involving the injury-prone James was an unfortunate blow, Tuchel stood firmly behind his roster decisions. "No one could see that coming," he said. "Reece was in good shape and felt very good, so it's a bit unlucky, but Ezri Konsa played in the position for us on a high level. We have still no problem."

>Although Tuchel claimed "no one" saw it coming, James has battled injuries throughout his career, including during the past season at Chelsea — something Tuchel witnessed firsthand during his 20-month tenure at Stamford Bridge.

>When Tuchel took the reins at Chelsea in January 2021, James had only just returned from a hamstring injury. Tuchel leaned on James whenever he was fit, but during the 2021-22 season, another hamstring setback cost the defender 50 days on the sidelines.

>Tuchel managed James' minutes before leaving the club, and among all the players in the England squad, the Chelsea fullback is arguably the one with whom he has the deepest familiarity. Despite the limited options available, Tuchel remains confident in those at his disposal.

>"Yes, I am (happy with alternatives). I selected the team, so I'm very happy with everything with the characteristic of the players and strengths that they give us," Tuchel said. "We would love to have every single key player, we would love to have them available, it's not available – we find solutions, it's what we do. It's a tournament, we move on."

>Tuchel also stressed that James will feature again at this World Cup, dismissing reports suggesting the injury could be more serious. Naturally, any return for James hinges on England advancing beyond the early stages of the tournament.

>"It's a minor hamstring issue, he's not been able to train the last two days," Tuchel said. "He's now on an accelerated rehabilitation program and we take it game by game, but we strongly believe that he will be available [during the tournament]."