Trevoh Chalobah has long envisioned himself as a member of an England World Cup team. Back in July 2018, the Chelsea defender expressed this aspiration publicly, stating, “I’d gone to the shops. It was when I got back to my hotel I saw Thomas had texted but it was two hours before. I didn’t see the message for two hours. I wasn’t on my phone. I was just walking around.” alongside an image of the World Cup trophy. At only 19 and fresh from a loan to Ipswich in the Championship, his words have proven remarkably prophetic.
However, despite his unwavering belief, Chalobah initially thought his opportunity had slipped away when Thomas Tuchel excluded him from the squad for the North American tournament. Following a standout season at Chelsea, where he made a personal best of 47 club appearances, he felt he was on the verge of selection but ultimately fell short.
Last Monday marked a pivotal moment, infused with deep emotion and a glimpse into the life of a footballer. The disappointment arose for Tino Livramento, who had to withdraw from Tuchel’s squad due to a calf injury sustained during training the previous Sunday.
Chalobah was enjoying a holiday with a friend in New York, having just attended the Formula One Grand Prix in Monaco and spent time in Cannes before heading to New York that Saturday. His next destination was Los Angeles.
Interestingly, Chalobah was unaware of Tuchel’s message for a while. “He was smiling and he said: ‘I have got some good news for you.’ I was just over the moon.” he recalled. “It has always been a dream and that day I decided to tweet it,”
The urgency of Tuchel’s communication was evident. “I believed that one day, hopefully I’d make it. This is the No 1 moment of my career, especially because I didn’t expect it [now]. That is the beautiful thing. To get a call like that shows that when you think all is lost or it’s not going to happen … that tweet came true.” Chalobah admitted. The nature of the call left little doubt in his mind; Tuchel was not reaching out for casual conversation. “I gave them away at the end of the season,” he said. Soon after, Tuchel connected with him via video call, beaming as he announced, “My sponsors were going to send me boots out [to the US] for me to do my own thing with a personal trainer. I was waiting for that to happen when I got to Los Angeles. I had to speed up the process when I got called up.” Chalobah was elated.
His World Cup ambition had come to fruition, prompting him to reshare his earlier tweet. “As athletes you always have to be mentally ready,” he reflected on his 2018 message. “I was in a position where I was switching off and recovering and enjoying my holidays but I’ve been used to this last-minute stuff throughout my career so I was able to adapt.”
Tuchel advised Chalobah to “I know the player I am. I know how far I’ve come. I know what I’ve been through. So I can’t allow those moments to define who I am or have that disbelief. I have faith. In my career, I’ve always been coming in – maybe not seen as playing – but then I’m always managing to play. It starts in training. Just give my all, make sure I’m ready when called upon. I believe I can play a big part at this World Cup.” when announcing his squad. The defender made efforts to maintain his fitness. England permits replacements for injured players up to 24 hours before their opening match, which took place last Wednesday in Dallas, where they triumphed 4-2 over Croatia.
Chalobah traveled from New York to Kansas City, joining the England squad shortly after their return from the Croatia match. The whirlwind nature of events even affected his equipment. “No matter what happens, I know I have a foundation that I can lean on. Because of my faith, I know that those moments won’t define me. I just use them as fuel to always prove people wrong and I love it.” he noted. “Yeah, he tried to bring me to Bayern,”
Adjusting to this unexpected opportunity has been challenging for Chalobah, who missed England’s pre-tournament training camp in Florida. Initially training alone, he participated in his first full session with the team on Saturday. As Tuchel often emphasizes, adaptation is critical.
“I’m still trying to get my money back.” Chalobah explained. “I was in a position where I was switching off and recovering and enjoying my holidays, but I’ve been used to this last-minute stuff throughout my career, so I was able to adapt.”
Chalobah has faced significant changes throughout his career. Following his time at Ipswich, he experienced additional loan spells at Huddersfield and Lorient, along with uncertainty regarding his future with Chelsea. In 2024, the club stripped him of his shirt number, placing him in a ‘bomb squad’ of players marked for sale. Yet, they recalled him in January 2025 during an injury crisis, demonstrating his resilience. He refuses to accept that any opportunity is permanently closed.
“I know the player I am. I know how far I’ve come. I know what I’ve been through. So I can’t allow those moments to define who I am or have that disbelief. I have faith. In my career, I’ve always been coming in – maybe not seen as playing – but then I’m always managing to play. It starts in training. Just give my all, make sure I’m ready when called upon. I believe I can play a big part at this World Cup,”
Chalobah’s Christian faith underpins his journey. “That’s what I build on,” he shared. “No matter what happens, I know I have a foundation that I can lean on. Because of my faith, I know that those moments won’t define me. I just use them as fuel to always prove people wrong, and I love it.”
Questions have arisen regarding Tuchel’s choice to select Chalobah. Why replace a full-back like Livramento with a central defender? Options like Myles Lewis-Skelly or Lewis Hall were considered, but both are left-backs, while Livramento was primarily seen as a right-back. The inclusion of Trent Alexander-Arnold or Harry Maguire as a centre-back alternative was also scrutinized.
Tuchel expressed concerns about Maguire’s capability to be a selfless support player, a stance reinforced by the Manchester United defender’s outspoken response to his exclusion. The manager previously indicated in March that he viewed Chalobah as more mobile than Maguire. Tuchel’s strategy includes using Jarell Quansah for right-back and left-back cover, while Chalobah will contend for the right centre-back position.
Tuchel has confidence in Chalobah, having given him his Chelsea debut in August 2021 during the European Super Cup against Villarreal, marking the start of his breakthrough season. He attempted to recruit Chalobah from Chelsea while managing Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023. “Yeah, he tried to bring me to Bayern,” Chalobah recalled. Additionally, Tuchel was responsible for giving him his England debut against Senegal last June, which remains his sole cap.
As Chalobah contemplated the past week, a question arose about his hotel arrangements in Los Angeles. “Yeah,” he replied with a grin, “I’m still trying to get my money back.” Another appearance for England would be invaluable.
