England manager Thomas Tuchel breathed a sigh of relief last night as he described Declan Rice's injury scare as "nothing big" – and with good reason. The Arsenal midfielder had been one of the stars of the show in England's thrilling 4-2 World Cup win over Croatia, but his evening was cut short after clutching at the top of his right leg in discomfort.
The Three Lions were already celebrating a crucial victory in Group L, thanks to Harry Kane's double and goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford. But the sight of Rice being replaced by Morgan Rogers, with Bellingham dropping deeper, sent a shiver down the spines of fans who feared the worst.
Tuchel revealed that Rice had been experiencing some unusual ball losses and felt discomfort in his lower back and upper hamstring – but reassured those worried about his availability for upcoming fixtures. "Declan had a fantastic game, so I hope it's nothing more," Tuchel explained. "He just reassured me at the end: 'It's good, and I know the discomfort'. We'll take care of it, and this is nothing big to worry about."
Rice's influence on the game was immense before his withdrawal – he set up Kane's opening goal with an inswinging corner that left no doubt about its quality. England will now focus their attention on Ghana in their next group stage match, scheduled for next Tuesday in Boston.