England will be without Reece James for their World Cup knockout match against Mexico, as the Chelsea defender continues recovery from a hamstring injury sustained during the earlier Ghana encounter. James has not yet returned to full training with the squad and skipped the final preparation session in Mexico City, marking his third consecutive match unavailable. The injury has forced England to adopt unconventional solutions at right-back, including using midfielder Declan Rice in that position during recent fixtures.

The squad received encouraging news regarding defender Jarell Quansah, who has regained full fitness following his own hamstring problem and will be available for selection against Mexico. Quansah's ability to operate as both a centre-back and right-back provides flexibility for manager Thomas Tuchel, potentially easing the positional strain created by James's absence. Though Rice continues to manage a hamstring complaint, he remains expected to play in the Azteca Stadium encounter.