England's preparations for their 2026 World Cup last-32 tie against the Democratic Republic of Congo have been thrown into disarray by the confirmation that both senior right-back options — Reece James and Jarell Quansah — are unavailable due to injury. Thomas Tuchel now faces one of his most pressing selection headaches of the entire tournament, forced to find a solution at right-back that does not compromise England's attacking intent or defensive solidity at the worst possible moment.
The Extent of England's Defensive Problem
Reece James has struggled with fitness issues throughout this World Cup campaign, and the confirmation that he will miss the DR Congo game is a significant blow to a coach who relies on the Chelsea captain's ability to bomb forward and provide width from deep positions. Quansah, who had been identified as the back-up option at right-back, has also been ruled out, leaving Tuchel with a problem that requires genuine creativity to solve. The manager has options — several players in the squad are capable of performing in the position — but none carry the natural positional instincts of James at his best, and asking someone to play there who is not their natural position always carries risk in a knockout game against an unpredictable opponent.
How Tuchel Plans to Cope
Tuchel confirmed ahead of the match that England are well prepared despite the setbacks, and pointed to the squad's collective depth as evidence that they can absorb individual absences without losing their competitive edge. The message to his players is the standard one for a tournament team facing injuries: next man up, no excuses, and no reduction in standards. Whether the solution involves a natural midfielder playing in a more defensive role or a different shape altogether to account for the absence of quality at right-back, Tuchel is expected to spring a tactical surprise that keeps DR Congo uncertain about where England's main attacking threat will come from.
An Opportunity for Someone Else to Step Up
For the player who fills the right-back void, this represents one of the most high-profile opportunities in the entire tournament. World Cups are often defined by the players who seize moments created by the injury misfortune of those ahead of them — careers have been built on exactly these situations. England supporters will be hoping that whoever Tuchel selects can handle the occasion and deliver a performance that removes the narrative around who is missing, replacing it with the story of who delivered when it mattered most. England's quality in the forward positions should be more than enough to win this tie, provided the back four holds firm.
Injury news: Reece James and Jarell Quansah both ruled out | Match: England vs DR Congo, 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 | Kick-off: 11:30 BST, July 1, 2026.
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