Livramento out of World Cup, Chalobah called up

Livramento out, Chalobah in

Tino Livramento is out of the World Cup. A calf injury has ended the Newcastle full-back's tournament before it started (1). Thomas Tuchel has called up Trevoh Chalobah from Chelsea as his replacement. The FA confirmed the switch on Tuesday.

Saka: 'I'm ready to go'

Bukayo Saka has dismissed concerns about his fitness ahead of Wednesday's opener against Croatia. "I am feeling a lot better than I did in March and I'm ready to go," Saka said (2) (4). Tuchel had earlier suggested the Arsenal winger was not at 100%, but Saka's own words leave little room for doubt.

Croatia await on Wednesday night

England begin their World Cup Group L campaign against Croatia, a rematch of the 2018 semi-final (3). The game kicks off Wednesday night. Tuchel's relationship with referee Clement Turpin, whom he once called a "Grade E" official at Bayern, adds a subplot, but the focus stays on three points.

Fan reactions

The Livramento injury has hit hard. Newcastle fans are devastated to lose a player they already call "one of us," and the broader England reaction is that this is a genuine blow to the squad's depth. Chelsea supporters, meanwhile, are tracking the Chalobah call-up with a mix of pride and curiosity, many feel he has earned this chance. Read the full discussion on r/soccer.