Thomas Tuchel has provided clarity on his decision to include Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah in the England squad for the 2026 World Cup. This move came after full-back Tino Livramento suffered a calf injury during training at England’s base in Kansas City. The injury forced Livramento to withdraw from the squad, prompting Tuchel to make an alternative selection.
Rather than choosing from a range of full-back options such as Trent Alexander-Arnold from Real Madrid, Myles Lewis-Skelly from Arsenal, or Lewis Hall from Newcastle, Tuchel opted to bring in Chalobah, who primarily plays as a centre-back. This decision has raised questions about the depth of England’s full-back options, as only Reece James, Nico O’Reilly, and Djed Spence are considered orthodox full-backs.
Tuchel explained that this choice allows for greater flexibility in the defensive line. He highlighted that Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarrell Quansah can also play full-back on both sides, alongside Spence, ensuring adequate coverage in defense.
“Tino has an injury that will take four or five weeks, which is too long to reintegrate him into the squad,” Tuchel said. “We called up Trevoh Chalobah because it frees up Jarrell Quansah to play full-back on both sides, and Djed Spence can do the same. It gives us full coverage in defense.”
England will face Croatia at the Dallas Stadium on Wednesday, aiming to start their World Cup campaign strongly in Group L. Tuchel, a seasoned coach with a successful track record, has won league titles in Germany and France before leading Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021.
Despite his achievements, Tuchel emphasized the significance of the World Cup, stating it is the pinnacle of football. “It’s up there,” he said, raising his hand above his head. “Definitely. Easy. It’s the best stage, the biggest tournament in the world, the biggest competition, the biggest players playing in the same tournament. This is what it is.”
Tuchel expressed gratitude for the opportunity to coach England and acknowledged the responsibility that comes with it. “I’m grateful to have the possibility to be the coach of England and to have the experience to coach in a World Cup. It comes with responsibility, and I want to live up to this responsibility and push the team, prepare the team, and support the players to do their very best.”
He added, “We dream. We dream. We have the right to dream, but we don’t want to be delusional. It comes with responsibility and with the effort. We want to put the effort in and deserve the outcome. We do that, and it starts tomorrow.”
The match against Croatia marks the first time the two nations have met at the World Cup since Croatia defeated Gareth Southgate’s England side in the 2018 semi-finals. Tuchel acknowledged the strength of Croatia’s squad, despite their aging players.
“I think it’s quite obvious they still have the core midfield with Mateo Kovacic and Luka Modric in the center of their game,” Tuchel said. “They have a very strong, solid back three, and with Mateo and Luka Modric, they still have the heartbeat of the team in the middle. They always provide threat with Ivan Perisic on the left side with both legs, inswinging and outswinging.”
He noted that Croatia’s experienced coach and their emotional nature make them a formidable opponent. “They are very flexible between back four and back five, they are very flexible within matches, so we have to adapt. We need a complex performance and we need all of it to be able to win.”
Tuchel concluded with confidence, stating, “I’m confident we know what it takes. It’s a strong team, and we are full of respect.”
