England will be without Reece James for at least their next two World Cup matches, with the Chelsea captain ruled out due to a hamstring injury. James, who has battled a string of injury issues in recent years, started each of England's opening games against Croatia and Ghana. However, he complained of muscle tightness after the goalless draw against Ghana in Boston on Tuesday and did not train with the squad at their Kansas City base on Friday.
Impact on England's World Cup Campaign
The Three Lions face Panama in their final group match on Saturday in New York. James will not be involved in that game, and reports suggest he will also miss England's round of 32 match next week. James is Thomas Tuchel's first-choice right-back, and the German coach has already lost one backup option, Tino Livramento, to injury just before the tournament began.
Possible Replacements for Reece James
Tuchel has several options to fill the void. He called up Trevoh Chalobah to replace Livramento—Chalobah is not a regular right-back but is capable of filling that role. Ezri Konsa, who has started both games at centre-half, can also move to the right, as can Jarell Quansah. Additionally, Tuchel has the option of Djed Spence, a natural right-back who started at left-back in the Ghana game.
According to reports, the England coaching staff are assessing these options ahead of the Panama match. The team will need to adapt quickly as they aim to secure progression in the tournament.
