Both James, 25, and Alexander-Arnold, 27, have spent years waiting for their breakthrough. The question now is which player Thomas Tuchel will choose as his primary right-back for the World Cup.

Tuchel's team will need to be defensively solid against the world's best players. There are many videos online of wingers saying that James is the toughest opponent they've faced, and his defensive statistics are impressive compared to Alexander-Arnold.

James has the most interceptions among his teammates with 11 in his seven Premier League appearances, has won 29 duels with a 55.8% success rate, and has only been dribbled past twice. He also carries a direct goal threat, with 14 goals in 199 appearances for Chelsea, compared to Alexander-Arnold's 23 goals in 354 games for Liverpool.

James scored his first England goal with a freekick in the 3-0 World Cup qualifier against Latvia in March. While suggesting he's a better set piece taker than Alexander-Arnold would be an exaggeration, James has shown his ability to contribute in various ways.

James has played in midfield at club level with some success, but it's clear his best position is still at right back. He has also played as a centre-back, which Alexander-Arnold's defensive limitations wouldn't allow. James' strength and ability to play line-splitting passes have led some to suggest that his future lies in central defence.

At the World Cup, versatility is a valuable asset for any manager. Having players who can play in multiple positions can help fill gaps if someone gets injured or suspended.

James is a more well-rounded option than Alexander-Arnold, with a jack-of-all-trades approach compared to his counterpart's more specialized skills. However, one major concern with James is his fitness record. He has missed 145 games for club and country since breaking into the first team at Chelsea, which is a significant 743 days on the sidelines. He also had to withdraw from Tuchel's most recent squad due to injury.

Alexander-Arnold, on the other hand, is currently out of favour under Tuchel. He hasn't started a game for the German manager and was only included in the squad as a late substitute in the 1-0 win over Andorra in June. He was omitted from the squad for the September international break due to injury, although Tuchel stated that it was a competitive decision.

Tuchel spoke to Alexander-Arnold after the squad was announced, saying that it was a difficult phone call but that he wanted him to hear it from him personally. Alexander-Arnold was keen to return to the team and play for England, and Tuchel acknowledged that it was a competitive decision.

Alexander-Arnold's move to Real Madrid hasn't helped his cause. He's had to adapt to a new language, culture, and style of play, and he's not yet Xabi Alonso's first choice. He's started only two La Liga games this season, but he's still a talented right-back with a high level of skill.

Alexander-Arnold is a specialist in his position, but his defensive limitations have held him back. He's had to adjust to a new team and a new league, and it's clear that he's not yet Tuchel's first choice for the right-back position.

Tuchel has stated that James is his current first choice for the position, and James offers more than Alexander-Arnold at this moment. Alexander-Arnold has a mountain to climb if he wants to change that.