Norway vs. England: Six of Thomas Tuchel’s right-backs in the quarter-finals of the World Cup have been tested

England’s right-back position has been a problem area throughout the 2026 World Cup.

In fact, the focus on the England right-back started before the ball was kicked in anger after Thomas Tuchel sent Trent Alexander-Arnold off his team.

The England manager then opted not to call up a natural full-back when Tino Livramento was ruled out through injury ahead of England’s World Cup campaign.

The right side of the back four continued to cause Tuchel a headache on the way to the quarter-finals.

Reece James was forced to sit out the last three games due to an injury along with Jarell Quansah at the time picked up an ankle problem in the group game against Panama, before he was sent off in the last 16 victory against organizers in cooperation with Mexico.

As Quansah is set to serve the first game of a two-game ban, Sports mole examines Tuchel’s six right-back options ahead of them Saturday’s quarter-final against Norway in Miami.

Recece James

Undoubtedly, James remains England’s first-choice right-back, but the big question is whether he will be fit to play in the final eight.

The Chelsea defender has not been selected since picking up a hamstring injury during the draw against Ghana on matchday two.

James is aiming to be back in time for Saturday’s game, but it remains unclear whether he will prove his fitness to England’s medical staff.

Even if he does start, there will be concerns about whether he will be able to cope with the quick turnaround of Wednesday’s semi-final, given his injury record.

It is probably foolish to plan for the next game in the play-offs, but Tuchel may be tempted to give James a few more days to recover in the hope that England will still be in the competition next week.

© Imago / Uwe Kraft

Spence’s ability to play on both sides of the back four was one of the reasons why he was included in Tuchel’s 26-man squad.

The Tottenham defender has featured in all five games in the competition, playing at right-back twice and at left-back in the other three.

Surprisingly, a right-footed player, Spence seems to do better on the left, something he showed with a solid performance against Mexico, including a crucial slide to stop Santiago Gimenez from taking a shot on goal.

Although he seems to thrive on the left, Spence is the only natural option on the right for James, putting him in a comfortable position to start if the Chelsea man is unable to play.

Spence’s willingness to overlap and get underneath could add another layer to England’s attacking play, while his pace allows him to make vital recovery runs if he is out of position or needs to cover another team-mate.

Ezri Konsa

© Consport / PA Images

Konsa is the only England full-back to have started all five games at the tournament, playing alongside John Stones against Croatia before forming a central partnership with Marc Guehi.

Of the five centre-backs in England, Konsa has the most experience playing as a right-back, having played more than 60 times for club and country.

In fact, he completed the last 16 victory over Mexico at the right of the back five as 10-man England held deep to see out a 3-2 victory.

However, there may be some reluctance to remove a consistent figure between the back four, especially as there are doubts over Guehi’s fitness.

John Stones

© Imago / All Second Media

After starting the opening match against Croatia, Stones has since had to deal with a few appearances.

The free agent was brought on to interview Mexico in the final half hour, making five defensive contributions as he used all of his vast experience in the tournament.

Stones has been playing as a full-back at the Estadio Azteca, and could be the first to replace Guehi if the Manchester City man can’t prove his fitness in time to meet Stale Solbakken’s charges.

That said, if Guehi is fit, Stones could be an option to play at right-back, a position he has played 65 times in his career, according to Transfermarkt.

Stones has the defensive nous to negate the attacking threat of Norway’s left wing, be it Antonio Nusa or Andreas Schjelderup.

Trevoh Chalobah

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Eyebrows were raised when Chalobah was appointed as Livramento’s replacement, not because he had only played one game.

The biggest criticism of Tuchel’s decision is to leave England with just three full-backs for what could be a long tournament.

It’s no surprise that Chalobah has never featured in England’s fifth World Cup, so it would be a shock to see him play a major role in the big tournament against Norway.

That said, he has played as a right-back 25 times in his career, and could be an option in this position. Tuchel feels the need to introduce fresh legs into the position if England are in the position they need to see the game out.

Declan Rice

© Consport / PA Images

Like James and Guehi, Rice’s physical condition it has been worrying again for the past few days.

Rice has been dealing with a nervous problem throughout the tournament and has recently suffered a bout of sickness which has hampered his preparations for the quarter-final.

The Arsenal star should be ready to start at the Miami Stadium, expected to feature in midfield alongside Elliot Anderson.

However, he is a possible right-back after impressing in that role in the final stages of England’s win against DR Congo in the Round of 32.

The position creates opportunities and angles for Rice to make the most of his passing ability by swinging dangerous possessions into the box.

Any change in position could force Tuchel to drop Jude Bellingham in a deeper role or give Kobbie Mainoo his first appearance in the tournament, Jordan Henderson is about to miss out the remainder of the World Cup due to injury.

The England manager will want to avoid moving Rice and Bellingham out of their most active positions, so it would be a big surprise to see the Arsenal man deployed in defence.