Reece James won’t be available for at least two of England’s World Cup group-stage matches after suffering a hamstring injury during the June 24 fixture against Ghana.
The Chelsea captain had only recently returned from a hamstring injury sustained back in March 2026, one that kept him sidelined for weeks and cast serious doubt over whether he’d be fit for the tournament at all.
Tuchel’s full-back headache
England manager Thomas Tuchel now faces a genuine selection crisis at right-back. The available alternatives include Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah, and Djed Spence. Konsa is naturally a center-back. Quansah is versatile but untested at this level in that role. Spence has shown flashes but lacks the consistent minutes at the highest level that build tournament-level reliability.
England’s next match is against Panama.
