In an interview following his FIFA World Cup debut as a substitute, Watkins mentioned that Konsa successfully contained Vinícius in England's 2024 friendly against Brazil.

With Reece James sidelined by a hamstring injury until at least the Round of 16, temporary right-back Quansah suffered an ankle sprain in Saturday's 2-0 victory over Panama. Thomas Tuchel faces a critical decision at right-back. Watkins said his Aston Villa teammate Konsa could comfortably fill that position if needed.

He said: "I think Konsa is really underrated. He's always been quiet for a long time. I think he's one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, but people don't immediately see him that way. I'm not sure if it's because of Villa's profile or something else, but people always look at the big clubs first. But defensively, he barely makes mistakes. I think he's excellent in one-on-one defending. I remember when we played Brazil, Vinícius couldn't get past him at all. He's very solid. He can play right-back, and of course his main position is centre-back. But if he plays in that position, I absolutely believe he can do more than just get the job done. He can perform at a genuinely high level there and make it very difficult for even the best wingers to break him down."

England's only other natural right-back in the squad is Porro, though his only starting appearance was on the left when Thomas Tuchel tasked him with containing Ghana striker Semeni's pace.

Tuchel's side sits at the bottom of their group and will face DR Congo in Wednesday's Round of 16 playoff as they aim to end a 60-year wait for their first FIFA World Cup trophy. Ahead of that match, Tuchel expressed concerns about England's right-back situation.

On Quansah's injury, Tuchel said: "It's a typical ankle sprain, and he's in pain. He's had this before and said it takes a few days to recover. He's keeping his leg elevated and still icing it. Of course, I'm concerned about the right-back position. We have another injury there. Recovery for both Reece James and Quansah will be a tough race, but our job is to find a solution, and we will."

If England beats DR Congo, the road ahead won't be easy. The Round of 16 opponent could be Mexico or Ecuador, and further ahead, the quarter-final opponent could be Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, or Norway.

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