England player's World Cup journey could be 'over' as shock injury is 'worse than initially thought'
Kit Roberts
Featured Image Credit: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
One of the players on England's squad at the World Cup may not play in this tournament again due to an injury.
The tournament is still in the group stages in Mexico, Canada, and the US, with teams playing off to see who will come through to the knockout stages.
England remain hopeful, once again returning to try and claim World Cup glory, still dreaming even if '30 years of hurt' has now doubled to 60 years.
The squad is now down to the last 32 in the tournament, notching up a strong 4-2 victory in their first match against Croatia, but then drawing against Ghana, with neither team managing to score.
Advert
Currently they are sitting at four points, placing them in first in their group, with Ghana also having four points but England edging ahead due to a higher goal difference.
They are now set to go up against Panama in their next match, with Panama so far having failed to notch up a victory in the tournament.
But right-back Reece James will not be joining the squad in this game.
James suffered from an injury to his hamstring, and is currently out of action while he recovers, not travelling to New Jersey for the squad's match against Panama.
He was withdrawn to the bench at a late stage in the game against Ghana on Tuesday, however Thomas Tuchel had already made five substitutions so he could not be replaced on the field.
Nonetheless, despite this England were able to hold off Ghana and draw.
While there is a chance of James returning to the pitch for this World Cup, that all depends on how far England manage to make it into the tournament.
It's likely that James' injury will see him off the pitch until well into the knockout stages of the competition, so unless England manage to hold on until late in the tournament, this may be the end of his World Cup this time round.
Despite the setback, Sky News reports that James has decided to remain at England's base camp hoping to recover enough to play again later in the competition.
France are currently in the lead on points, having nine points, and pulling ahead of Mexico, who have the same number, on goal difference.
Neither team has yet lost or drawn a match, the only teams in the competition to have won three matches so far.
However, Argentina and Colombia could both join them in that ranking, with both of these having won both of their matches so far.