​Thomas Tuchel, England’s head coach, revealed that Declan Rice spent most of the three days leading up to their World Cup quarter-final against Norway in bed due to illness. Rice did start the 2-1 victory over Norway but appeared to be struggling in the oppressive Miami Stadium heat before being withdrawn at halftime in favor of Arsenal teammate Eberechi Eze.
England fell behind early when Norway’s Andreas Schjelderup netted, but Jude Bellingham equalised just before halftime and then struck the winner in extra time, sending the Three Lions into a semi-final clash with Argentina, who had defeated Switzerland. That semi-final is scheduled to start at 20:00 on Wednesday, July 15, and will be broadcast live by the BBC.
“We had some players struggling in the heat,” Tuchel said. “Ezri Konsa was among them, suffering cramps and hamstring tightness.” He explained that at half-time there was a tactical shift to become more offensive. “Declan, we made the decision at 1-0 down to push more going forward because we didn’t want to be conservative and risk conceding again after the equaliser.”
Rice had entered the tournament with a pre-existing neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back, which was aggravated by illness. He trained the day before the quarter-final but was withdrawn at halftime. Tuchel commented: “We needed to replace Elliott [Anderson] or Declan, and given that Declan had endured three intense days, most of which he spent in bed, I knew he could not endure 90 minutes. There was a real possibility the match could go to 120 minutes, so I didn’t want to waste another substitution later in the game, and the decision was made to take Declan off earlier than planned to preserve him for future challenges.”
Rice, who helped Arsenal clinch last season’s Premier League title, has started five of England’s six matches at the 2026 World Cup, missing only the group stage clash with Panama. Tuchel’s remarks come amid broader debates about England’s performance and the resilience of his players during the tournament, with discussions ranging from tactical decisions to the physical toll of the schedule.
As the World Cup draws nearer to its conclusion, football fans will be looking to see how England and the rest of the contenders navigate the knockout rounds and whether Tuchel’s strategic choices and player management will pay dividends in the remaining fixtures. The tournament, already featuring a fierce contest between nations and clubs, continues to captivate audiences worldwide, with the BBC continuing to provide coverage and analysis as the World Cup path unfolds.