Tino Livramento’s 2026 World Cup is over before it began. The Newcastle United full-back has suffered a hamstring injury in training with England’s squad in North America and will play no part in the tournament, according to Sky Sports.
Thomas Tuchel is set to call up Trevoh Chalobah from the standby list, with FIFA rules permitting squad replacements for genuine injuries up to 24 hours before a team’s opening match. England face Croatia on Wednesday.
The injury is the latest in a long and damaging sequence of physical setbacks for Livramento. The 23-year-old missed the final five weeks of the Premier League season with a thigh problem sustained against Bournemouth on April 18 and was included in Tuchel’s squad only after proving his fitness. He had featured as a substitute in a pre-tournament friendly against New Zealand earlier this month.
That comeback proved short-lived. Livramento suffered the new hamstring problem away from the cameras during a training session. The injury is not reported to be severe, but the decision has been taken to withdraw him from the tournament entirely.
A season of disruption
The World Cup withdrawal is the headline figure in a 2025-26 campaign defined by injury. Livramento managed only 17 Premier League appearances for Newcastle — disrupted first by a knee ligament injury in September that cost him eight weeks, then a hamstring problem between January and March that sidelined him for a further 55 days, before the thigh injury that ended his club season in April.
It continues a difficult pattern for a player whose career has been marked by significant time on the sidelines since suffering a serious ACL injury at Southampton in 2022.
Transfer uncertainty deepens
The injury also throws a shadow over one of the summer’s most-watched transfer storylines. Arsenal and Manchester City had both been monitoring Livramento, with Newcastle holding firm on a valuation of around £70 million — a figure that would set a new world record for a right-back, surpassing the £60 million Paris Saint-Germain paid Inter Milan for Achraf Hakimi in 2021.
Neither club had been willing to meet that price, and the World Cup had been seen as an opportunity for Livramento to raise his profile and strengthen his hand. That showcase is now gone.
Livramento’s contract at St James’ Park runs until 2028. Talks over an extension had been ongoing, with reports in May suggesting he had entered discussions over a new deal. The injury is unlikely to clarify matters quickly.
Newcastle will now focus on a smooth rehabilitation ahead of the new Premier League season in August.
FAQ
Q: Who will replace Tino Livramento in England’s World Cup squad? A: Trevoh Chalobah, the Chelsea defender who was named on England’s standby list, is expected to be called up in Livramento’s place.
Q: How serious is Livramento’s hamstring injury? A: The injury is not reported to be severe, but Livramento has been ruled out of the entire tournament. A Grade 1 hamstring strain typically requires around two weeks to heal; a Grade 2 injury can take four to six weeks.
Q: What does the injury mean for Livramento’s summer transfer prospects? A: It complicates the picture significantly. Arsenal and Manchester City had both been tracking him, with the World Cup seen as a shop window for a move. Newcastle’s asking price was around £70 million, and the injury may dampen suitor confidence or soften the Magpies’ negotiating position.
