England legend Wayne Rooney has expressed confusion over Thomas Tuchel's 'strange' decision to select Trevoh Chalobah as a replacement for the injured Tino Livramento, while overlooking Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw.
The England squad confirmed that Newcastle full-back Livramento suffered a calf injury during training on Sunday, ruling him out of the entire World Cup. The setback came just three days before England's opening group match against Croatia in Dallas, where the 23-year-old was expected to earn his sixth senior cap.
Chalobah, a Chelsea central defender, has been called up to replace Livramento in Tuchel's 26-man squad and will travel to the team's base camp in Kansas City. The 26-year-old, who has only one England appearance, is not expected to feature against Croatia on Wednesday.
Rooney's Reaction
Speaking to the BBC, Rooney said: 'It's a bit strange. I would have liked to have seen Luke Shaw. And then Djed Spence maybe being cover for Reece James and Luke Shaw come in. But I'm sure Thomas Tuchel has kept contact with players to stay available and I'm sure he [Chalobah] was one of those who was available.'
The selection came hours after Harry Maguire voiced his frustrations at being overlooked, with the Manchester United centre-back admitting he 'had a few words' with Tuchel. However, Rooney believes Shaw also has reason to feel aggrieved.
Shaw's Form and History
Shaw made 38 appearances for Manchester United last season and appeared to be returning to his best under interim head coach Michael Carrick. However, he has not played for England since the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain, where he came on as a substitute at half-time.
The 30-year-old made his senior international debut in 2014 and has 34 caps, most notably scoring a stunning opening goal in the Euro 2020 final against Italy.
Just last month, Rooney described Shaw as the 'most improved player' in the Premier League during the 2025/26 season. On his BBC podcast, Rooney said: 'I think, for me, Luke Shaw has been the most improved player this season. I know he's an experienced player now, but I think his level this season has been much better than in recent seasons.'
Chalobah's Season
Chalobah made 47 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea last season but was an unused substitute in the FA Cup final loss to Manchester City. His call-up has raised eyebrows given Shaw's strong form and experience.
Rooney's comments add to the debate over Tuchel's squad selection as England prepare for their World Cup opener.
