Which defenders will go to the World Cup with England?
Coming off the back of captaining Crystal Palace throughout their incredible campaign last term, Marc Guehi is currently nailed to start Thomas Tuchel's World Cup opener in North America with no questions asked.
His proven leadership, outspoken maturity and supreme defensive qualities are all standouts for a 25-year-old centre back entering his prime.
Entering the last year of his contract at Selhurst Park, he has declared his ambitions to leave in the summer, and with Liverpool must missing out on his signature for £35m in August, he is destined to be heading to a massive club in the future, either at home or abroad.
All these leave Guehi with an opportunity to nail down a starting spot at the heart of England's defence for years to come, beginning with the World Cup and on to a tournament on home soil at Euro 2028.
John Stones: On the plane
John Stones may be lacking in minutes in recent times, but can still be assured to be a part of England's defence at the World Cup.
His fitness and match sharpness is a concern, featuring only 16 times for Manchester City in the Premier League since the start of last season and in only five of their 11 games already this campaign, with a torrid injury record to match.
However, he brings invaluable experience to an expectedly-youthful England defence, with 85 caps and appearances at all of the last five major tournaments.
This crucial experience just gives him the edge to start, however younger prospects are gaining serious traction and putting pressure to challenge for the spot alongside Guehi.
At 28-years-old, Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa is in his peak years and looks nailed on to travel with England next summer.
With 16 England caps to his name all since the start of last year, including featuring three times at Euro 2024, Konsa's dependability, physical presence and invaluable versatility make him a great addition to Thomas Tuchel's squad.
With the ability to perform at both centre-back and right-back effectively having been demonstrated with both Villa and England, Konsa provides a reliable option to cover both John Stones in the centre and Reece James at right-back, who seems Tuchel's favoured choice but has also been plagued with recent injuries.
Jarell Quansah: Work to do
Having been selected in the November squad to face Serbia and Albania after withdrawing from October's games with injury, Jarell Quansah is in with a chance of making his England debut.
Having left Liverpool in the summer for £35m, the 22-year-old is now enjoying regular game time with Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. A quick, agile defender who has countless years ahead of him, Tuchel will want to have his contributions to this England team tried and tested and so it is likely he will make an appearance.
With Tuchel's contract expiring after the 2026 World Cup, he is out to find the best defensive group that is capable of winning the tournament, and so eyes on the future are not going to be part of his thought process.
Both his youth and a lack of opportunities could cost him when it comes to the final selection in June, but he is by no means the only one in this camp who's in with a genuine chance of going.
Before his season-ending injury, Colwill was destined to challenge the likes of Guehi and Stones to a starting place at the World Cup to add to his five senior caps.
However, after undergoing ACL surgery in August, Colwill's season seems all but over, and so it would be miraculous for him to feature at all for Chelsea let alone England by the time the Three Lions play friendlies in March.
Past this, England would be expected to play some warm up games before the World Cup in early May/late June, however the chances of Colwill being fully fit and in form are extremely doubtful.
His talent remains brilliant at only 22, however he seems to be running out of time, and would require a brilliant return to form with guaranteed minutes at Chelsea.
Trevoh Chalobah: Work to do
After being handed his England debut against Senegal at the City Ground in June, Chalobah has continued his good form for Chelsea and obtained regular minutes at the heart of their defence.
Despite this, opportunities to impress in an England shirt, with Tuchel seemingly set on his group of players and fearful to experiment further before the tournament, may be limited.
And if we follow the trends of previous squads and the mindset under Southgate, Tuchel is unlikely to take more than four centre-backs to the World Cup for the sake of more versatile options at full-back.
Despite now firmly in the Chelsea set up, it was not even two seasons ago when Enzo Maresca outcasted him from his plans, forcing him on loan to Crystal Palace.
However, he was recalled by the same manager in January 2025 following injuries to Chelsea's defenders, and has excelled ever since.
Dan Burn has been a revelation for both Newcastle and England since his move from Brighton in January 2022. Able to cover both centre-back and left-back, Eddie Howe has passionately defended Burn's physical attributes as to why he has so often played 90 minutes for the Magpies, even when trailing in games.
Howe praised how Burn's physical presence can influence a game at any moment, and his words were matched by the defender's superb header in Newcastle's Uefa Champions League victory over Athletic Club.
A vast throwback when compared to the nature of the rest of England's defensive options, Burn offers great physical superiority over technical ability, and a versatile option who can be deployed in several scenarios in a knockout tournament where England are going to be needed to play eight games in four weeks to win the competition.
However, his positional appeal is similar to that of his Newcastle colleague Tino Livramento, who can play both left-back and right-back very capably. Burn will need to surpass Livramento to guarantee a spot in England's final squad, but his rise up the ranks deserves immense respect.
Reece James: On the plane
At Euro 2024, England fans were yearning for a fit Reece James so they didn't have to compromise either the defensive attributes of Kyle Walker or the attacking ability of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
At last, fingers crossed, they have got what they wanted. A fully-fit and firing Reece James ready for an international tournament with England. And with both the former options being currently out of the picture, the Chelsea captain seems destined to wear the number three this summer in North America, with no other option posing a significant challenge.
Riddled with injuries over the last five years, including missing with the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024, no promises can be on his fitness by any means. However, he has finally found form and time on the pitch consistently, offering hope he will be raring to go come June.
After transferring his excellent form from last season for Tottenham into the 2025/26 campaign under Thomas Frank, Djed Spence has been a surprise option and is the closest to challenge Reece James at right-back.
However, his own successes could be his own worst enemy. With Pedro Porro holding down the right-back spot at Spurs, Spence has enjoyed his return to form at left-back.
In the latest round of games, Spence didn't play a minute against Serbia or Albania. He had started the games against Latvia and Wales and come off the bench in the first Serbia game, but the success of Nico O'Reilly on his England debut gave him two run outs of 90 minutes in the latest international window.
Spence can be confident of a place in the squad if he stays fit, however, he has neither full-back position locked down, making him vulnerable to any further advancements by other defenders for their clubs.
Tino Livramento: Work to do
At only 23 years-old, the Newcastle defender has excelled since joining Newcastle after leaving Southampton. Despite having an injury-hit season so far this campaign, Livramento featured 45 times for Newcastle in 2024/25 and kept 18 clean sheets.
Livramento poses the greatest challenge to Spence, being able to cover both full-back positions to great effect. Also like Spence, the preferred right-back enjoys the majority of his minutes with Newcastle on the opposite side with the right occupied by England exile Kieran Trippier. You would think that in a 26-man squad, only one of the two will go as cover for James and the first choice left back.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: Work to do
Following on from England's agonising defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024, hardly any England fans would expect Alexander-Arnold to be so far out of the picture as he is. And after moving from Merseyside to Madrid, no-one would have called it.
Bought out early by Real Madrid to play in the Club World Cup last summer, Alexander-Arnold has struggled for consistency and fitness in his battle with veteran Dani Carvajal for the right-back spot for Los Blancos, and has been absent from all of Thomas Tuchel's three squads since June.
If Trent hits form for Madrid, it would easy for him to return to the fold. Not many players in world football can change a game with a single kick of a ball like he can, let alone in the England set up. His rocket of a penalty that sent England into the semi-finals in Germany is still etched into every England fan's recent memory, and they will be yearning for him to have a part to play.
Nico O'Reilly: Work to do
At only 20 years old, O'Reilly has a brilliant opportunity to make the England left-back position his, for both the World Cup and years to come. Luke Shaw has been absent ever since the final in Berlin last summer despite playing for Manchester United, it is clear the Tuchel regime is looking in a different direction.
Left-footed and superbly gifted, he is already making waves for Pep Guardiola's new-look Manchester City, rising up through the academy to a team glittering with international stars.
At such a young age and with only two caps to his name, O'Reilly could be destined to be England's next best at left-back, but faces a tough sprint with Myles Lewis-Skelly to make the position his own.
Myles Lewis-Skelly: Work to do
Arsenal's answer to O'Reilly is also one of their own in Myles Lewis-Skelly. At only 19-years-old, he has already featured over 50 times for the Gunners, and made an instant impression by scoring on his England debut against Albania at Wembley.
The one thing holding him back is consistency. As already established, Tuchel is not in the business of building for the future, yet, and Lewis-Skelly has failed to start a Premier League game this season, firmly behind Ricardo Calafiori. Amongst those 50 appearances are also two red cards, a matter that can unbelievably costly in the dying moments of an international tournament.
The youngster has the potential to have the world at his feet, right now it just seems one step too soon.
