England have lost Tino Livramento for their World Cup opener against Croatia after the Newcastle full-back suffered a calf injury in training. The injury is expected to sideline him for six weeks, ruling him out of the tournament entirely. Livramento had already been managing a thigh problem that kept him out for the final two months of the season, limiting his preparation time for the competition.

Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah received the call to replace Livramento, joining the squad at their Kansas City base camp. Chalobah brings more recent international experience, earning his sole cap in England's 3-1 defeat to Senegal in June 2025. He featured in 34 Premier League matches last season, scoring three goals during Chelsea's turbulent campaign. The 24-year-old provides cover at both center-back and defensive midfield positions.

Livramento's versatility across the backline made him an attractive option for Thomas Tuchel, who can now count on Chalobah's reliability. The selection came ahead of other candidates including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fikayo Tomori, and Harry Maguire. Livramento did feature in the second half of England's 1-0 warm-up victory over New Zealand but sat out against Costa Rica.

FIFA regulations permit squad changes up to 24 hours before the opening fixture, giving England flexibility to make this move. The Three Lions open their group stage campaign in Dallas on Wednesday, with Chalobah now part of Tuchel's defensive options for the Croatia match.