Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Declan Rice spent the past few days in bed with illness but still started England's 2-1 World Cup quarter-final victory over Norway. The Three Lions midfielder had been battling a bug and was substituted at half-time, with Tuchel citing the sweltering heat and humidity in Miami as additional factors.
Tuchel Explains Rice's Condition
Speaking after the match, Tuchel revealed: "Knowing that Declan struggles after the last three days, he was most of the time in bed, I knew he could not survive the 90 minutes." The German manager also noted that several players struggled with the conditions, including Ezri Konsa, who suffered from hamstring cramps.
Tactical Shift at Half-Time
England were 1-0 down at the break when Tuchel decided to make an offensive change. He said: "I made the decision at 1-0 down and didn't want to go back on the decision. Even after the equaliser I thought this was the right signal to the team, to take up higher positions and more connections when Norway defends in a deep block." This saw Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka introduced, with Rice and Elliot Anderson making way.
Recovery and Training Plans
Tuchel confirmed that England will scale back training as they prepare for the semi-final. "Our level of training will now go down. The next few days are crucial," he said, adding that the victory will aid recovery. The team is based in Kansas City.
Injury Updates
There was positive news as Reece James returned to the pitch for the first time since the 0-0 draw with Ghana. Bukayo Saka impressed off the bench, while Jordan Henderson took part in the pre-match warm-up but was not expected to feature after wrist surgery.
