Wayne Rooney urges Tuchel to call Kyle Walker after Livramento injury
Wayne Rooney has urged England manager Thomas Tuchel to call up former right‑back Kyle Walker after Tino Livramento withdrew from the World Cup squad with a calf injury. Speaking in the BBC Sport studio after England’s 2‑1 win over DR Congo in Atlanta on July 2, 2026, Rooney said, “We’ve seen it before where players have come out of retirement… I think the minute Tino Livramento got injured, I think they should have been straight on the phone to Kyle Walker. ‘Kyle’s still more than good enough and more than capable of playing in this England team. I would have been on the phone to him and saying, ‘Listen, we need you here so can you come out and help us’, because that could really cost us.” Livramento’s withdrawal leaves England thin at right‑back; Chelsea centre‑back Trevoh Chalobah was called up as a replacement, while first‑choice Reece James suffers a hamstring issue. Jarell Quansah and Djed Spence both struggled when called upon against Panama and DR Congo respectively, leaving the defence reliant on Harry Kane’s two goals to secure the win. England now faces co‑hosts Mexico at Estadio Azteca on Monday. The thin right‑back pool raises concerns about defensive stability in a tough knockout match, especially if Kane cannot repeatedly bail them out. If England’s right‑back crisis continues, should you adjust your expectations for their World Cup run or look for other teams to support?