Remaining unbeaten at the 2026 World Cup, England face DR Congo, looking to secure their place in the Round of 16. However, head coach Thomas Tuchel faces the difficult absence of Reece James at right-back. Despite the major doubts, England have impressed at the 2026 World Cup, remaining unbeaten heading into the knockout stage. They face DR Congo today, coming in as clear favorites to advance to the Round of 16. However, head coach Thomas Tuchel faces the difficult absence of Reece James for a second consecutive match. As a result, he has made changes to his starting lineup.
Reece James will be unavailable for England after suffering an injury in the match against Ghana. He has been diagnosed with a hamstring injury, ruling him out for several days. However, Thomas Tuchel revealed that he is close to recovering, meaning he could return from the bench in the Round of 16 if England defeat DR Congo today.
Even though Reece James was in excellent form at the start of the tournament, he is coming off a season in which he suffered three injuries with Chelsea: A thigh injury, a knock, and hip problems. Because of this, James’ injury was somewhat expected. As a result, Thomas Tuchel’s decision not to bring another natural right-back, such as Trent Alexander-Arnold or Tino Livramento, has been highly controversial.
With no other natural right-back in the squad, England’s Thomas Tuchel had turned to Jarell Quansah as Reece James’ replacement. However, he suffered a twisted ankle in the recent 2–0 victory over Panama. As a result, he has also been ruled out of the squad for today’s match against DR Congo. Because of these injuries, they have had to turn to Djed Spence, who normally plays at left-back and offers outstanding attacking ability going forward.
Antoine Semenyo #11 of Ghana attempts to shoot, blocked by Reece James #24 of England.
Reece James’ absence may favor DR Congo’s offense
England come into the match as the favorites against DR Congo. With their powerful attack and tactical flexibility, they will look to dominate their opponents and break down their solid defensive approach. However, head coach Thomas Tuchel could face serious defensive issues. Against Sébastien Desabre’s team’s efficient counterattacking strategy, the absence of a strong defensive right-back such as Reece James could prove costly.
With Djed Spence at right-back, England gain much more attacking threat, as he has a major impact on the team’s width and depth. However, he does not usually excel defensively, often leaving plenty of space behind him. Because of this, Arthur Masuaku could exploit those spaces by breaking quickly on the counterattack. While Declan Rice could drop back to cover him, doing so would leave space in midfield that DR Congo could exploit.