Is Reece James still injured? Chelsea full-back misses England training ahead of World Cup clash with Mexico as Thomas Tuchel delivers fitness update

England face a nervous wait over the availability of Reece James after the Chelsea captain was unable to join his team-mates for their final training session in Mexico City. The right-back has been struggling with a hamstring issue that first surfaced during the group-stage stalemate against Ghana, and his absence from the main group suggests he is still facing an uphill battle to be ready for Sunday's knockout fixture.

While the news regarding James was cautious, Tuchel was able to welcome Jarell Quansah back into the fold. Quansah missed the narrow 2-1 victory over DR Congo after picking up an ankle injury in the earlier win against Panama. His return to full training provides a much-needed boost to an England defence that has been forced into several reshuffles during the tournament so far. "You saw that Jarell trained, Jarell trained fully, is fully available. Reece can maybe make it onto the bench, he needs a last assessment from the doctors and medical opinion if this makes sense," the German coach explained.

Despite the injury concerns and the logistical hurdles, Tuchel remains focused on the task at hand. The former Bayern Munich boss is clearly enjoying the magnitude of the occasion as he looks to guide England into a quarter-final match in Miami. He was full of praise for the hospitality received since arriving, even if he knows that friendliness will vanish once the first whistle blows.

“It's just an iconic match on a big stage, and we feel it,” Tuchel said after training at Pumas’ ‘Quarry’ facility. “People were very friendly, very respectful, very emotional. Of course, they will support their own team tomorrow. That's absolutely normal. We had an amazing training facility today. Beautiful environment, very calm, on the highest level. So there's a kind of that. You know about the situation. You spoke about it. But people will take care of what needs to be taken care of. We need a strong performance, and I think we will have that.”

England captain Harry Kane has acknowledged the adversity the squad faces in a tie that is “as big as it gets”, but spelt out to his team that there would be “no excuses” if they fail to win. The Three Lions are preparing to face a hostile atmosphere and a forecast of thunderstorms in the Mexican capital, but Kane insists the team must find a way to progress regardless of the James situation.

“It’s going to be a really tough game for many different reasons,” Kane said. “First of all [Mexico] are a really good team. Then all these other little details are going to make it even harder, but from our point of view it’s another opportunity to build some momentum. It’s kind of the peak time to do that. So there’s no excuses in a game like this. We know it will be tough. We know we might have to grind it out. We might have to find a different way to win. But that’s what the World Cup is about. Everyone’s looking forward to the occasion, the stadium, the atmosphere, and ultimately putting yourself in those games. That’s why you train like we do. That’s why you play football, it’s to have these epic games.”

The atmosphere in Mexico City is reaching a fever pitch, with the altitude and a hostile home crowd presenting unique challenges for the England squad. Veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson echoed those sentiments, admitting that even his vast experience in top-level football has not prepared him for this specific environment.

He explained: "No, I don't think this game compares with any game that I have been involved in to be honest. Yes, I have played a lot of different games in the Champions League but in the World Cup, in Mexico, against Mexico, I don't think anything compares with that. So that's why it's such a good game to be involved in."