England manager defends full-back choices after Reece James injury ahead of Panama match

By Callum Ashford — 27 June 2026 — 3 min read

England manager Thomas Tuchel has addressed his selection strategy for full-backs following confirmation that Reece James will not participate in England‘s upcoming World Cup match against Panama on Saturday. James, a right-back for Chelsea, reported a hamstring issue after Tuesday’s goalless draw against Ghana and has not travelled with the squad to New Jersey from their Kansas City base for the final Group L game.

Despite James’s absence, Tuchel expressed confidence that the player could still feature in England‘s last-32 match next week. However, reports suggest that James remains a significant doubt for the initial knockout stages, even though England has already secured a place in the next round, regardless of their position in Group L.

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Injury Concerns and Squad Selection

The injury to Reece James, coupled with a calf problem that led to Tino Livramento‘s departure from the United States, has prompted questions regarding Tuchel’s decision to include only three recognised full-backs in the World Cup squad. The selected full-backs were Djed Spence, Reece James, and Tino Livramento.

Other players in the squad who can cover full-back positions include Nico O’Reilly, who played left-back for Manchester City last season but is primarily a midfielder, and Dan Burn, a recognised centre-back who has also played at left-back. For the right-back role, alternative options available to Tuchel are Djed Spence and central defenders Jarell Quansah and Ezri Konsa.

Tuchel maintained his satisfaction with his defensive choices, stating, “Yes, I am [happy with my options at right-back]. I selected the team, so I’m very happy with everything with the characteristic of the players and strengths that they give us.” He added, “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.”

Both Reece James and Tino Livramento have had previous injury concerns, which has led to scrutiny of Tuchel’s decision to bring them to the tournament. However, Tuchel remains optimistic about James’s return during the World Cup.

“It’s a minor hamstring issue, he’s not been able to train the last two days,” Tuchel confirmed. “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].”

Player Availability for Panama Match

In more positive news for England, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and Elliot Anderson are all expected to be available for the match against Panama. Declan Rice, who had strapping on his left calf after the Ghana game and missed training on Thursday, returned to training on Friday. Elliot Anderson, who also missed Thursday’s session due to a glute issue, was present on Friday.

Tuchel confirmed that Bukayo Saka is prepared to start the Panama game. Saka has come off the bench in the initial two matches due to a long-term Achilles tendinitis complaint. England can secure the top spot in Group L with a victory over Panama.

Meanwhile, at Panama‘s training session on Friday, an altercation occurred between players Cecilio Waterman and Jose Luis Rodriguez, who had to be separated by teammates. Panama coach Thomas Christiansen viewed this incident positively, stating, “What happened today in training, this is a normal situation. I would’ve liked to see these situations more often, that means the team is alive.”

Looking Ahead

The focus for England now shifts to their final group stage match against Panama, where they aim to secure their position at the top of Group L. The team will be without Reece James, who is undergoing rehabilitation for his hamstring injury, but will see the return of key players like Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson.

The match against Panama is scheduled for Saturday at 22:00 BST.