Tuchel Calms Fears After Rice Limps Off In England Victory

England boss Thomas Tuchel has given an update on Declan Rice injury scare after the midfielder limped toward the tunnel in the 72nd minute, casting a shadow over what had been a dominant 4-2 victory against Croatia.

The Arsenal anchor, who had already registered a sublime assist for Harry Kane, suddenly signaled to the bench that something wasn’t right.

The England manager revealed that Rice’s withdrawal was purely preventative, describing the decision as “protecting” rather than “rescuing” his prized asset.

“Declan had some unusual ball losses and I spotted a bit of discomfort straight away,” Tuchel explained post-match. “When I asked him, he pointed directly to his lower back and upper hamstring. I never want to take him off, but this was the moment to be smart.”

Tuchel was quick to praise Reece James, who slotted into an unfamiliar midfield role with remarkable composure. “Reece did a fantastic job in there—absolutely outstanding.”

The concern over Rice isn’t entirely new. Sources close to the player have revealed that he required injections during the final, grueling weeks of Arsenal’s domestic campaign, as Mikel Arteta’s men pushed relentlessly for both Premier League and Champions League glory.

Speaking to ITV after the match, a smiling Rice declared: “All good—good as gold. Just the little niggles I’ve been nursing since the second half of the season. Nothing more than precaution. I’ll be back out there against Ghana.”