England manager Thomas Tuchel faces a fresh defensive headache ahead of his side's Round of 16 clash with Mexico at Estadio Azteca, after Djed Spence reportedly sustained an injury during training.

The Tottenham Hotspur full-back is understood to have picked up the knock in the squad's most recent session, ruling him out of the fixture this evening. The setback piles further pressure on Tuchel, who has watched his right-back options dwindle throughout the 2026 World Cup.

A deepening defensive crisis

Reece James has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Tino Livramento missed the tournament entirely. Jarell Quansah, called upon as cover, then sat out England's Round of 32 victory over DR Congo with an ankle problem — though he has since returned to training.

Tuchel chose not to include Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Real Madrid full-back, in his World Cup squad. That decision has been scrutinised repeatedly as the former Liverpool defender's position has proved England's most vulnerable area.

Tuchel's options at right-back

With Spence now unavailable, the England manager faces three realistic choices. He could shift Ezri Konsa to the right-hand side, recall the recovering Quansah, or again deploy Declan Rice in the right-back role — a solution used during the closing stages of England's 2-1 win against DR Congo, when the side appeared more defensively solid.

Moving Rice out of central midfield, however, weakens England's engine room considerably, creating a different problem to solve.

The altitude factor

Tuchel's side must also manage the challenge posed by the Estadio Azteca's altitude. The stadium sits approximately 2,240 metres above sea level — nearly double the height of Ben Nevis, the United Kingdom's highest peak at 1,345 metres.

England have history at the Azteca, most notably in 1986 when Diego Maradona scored the infamous 'Hand of God' goal to knock the Three Lions out of that year's World Cup. England's overall record at the ground stands at three defeats, two wins, and one draw — that solitary draw coming against Mexico themselves, in a 1969 friendly.

England's route to the last 16

England reached the knockout stage unbeaten, progressing through a group that included Croatia, Ghana, Panama, and DR Congo. Their passage was not without drama: the Three Lions fell behind against DR Congo before Harry Kane struck twice to secure the victory and advance.