England and Chelsea defender Reece James could miss the remainder of the World Cup after his hamstring injury was revealed to be worse than initially thought. The 26-year-old right-back is already set to miss England's final group stage match against Panama on Saturday night, but fears are growing that he may not feature again in the tournament.
Injury Details and Training Absence
James was absent from England's training session on Thursday due to tightness in his hamstring, an issue he first picked up during Tuesday's goalless draw with Ghana. He also missed training on Friday, alongside midfielder Declan Rice, who is understood to have sustained a separate injury.
Speaking on Sky Sports, journalist Rob Dorsett reported: "Reece James' hamstring injury is worse than originally thought and I've been told the chances of him playing any more minutes at the World Cup depend entirely on whether England can reach the latter stages of the tournament."
Aggravation Concerns
During the Ghana match, James was seen beckoning to the England bench late in the game but could not be replaced because manager Thomas Tuchel had already made all five permitted substitutions. Dorsett added: "It isn't clear whether that extra time on the pitch has aggravated the injury."
Losing James for a substantial portion of the tournament would be a significant setback for England, who had already lost backup right-back Tino Livramento before the first game. Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah was called up as a replacement, though he is more naturally a centre-back. Djed Spence is now the most likely alternative on the right, with Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly expected to return on the left side of England's back four.
James' Reaction and Team Impact
Sky Sports also reported that James is 'devastated' by the latest injury setback but is not expected to leave the England camp for further treatment. Meanwhile, injury concerns are mounting for England, with Rice and midfielder Elliot Anderson also carrying niggles. While neither issue is thought to be serious, both players could be rested for the Panama game to ensure they are fit for England's first knockout match.
