Rice benched against Panama as Tuchel manages England midfielder's fitness concern

Declan Rice was absent from England’s starting lineup for their 2026 World Cup Group L finale against Panama at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, after the Arsenal midfielder was spotted limping with strapping on his left leg following the 0-0 draw with Ghana in Boston.

Thomas Tuchel moved to calm concerns over Rice’s condition ahead of the match, confirming the 27-year-old had returned to training. “Anderson and Rice were training today,” the England manager said at his pre-match press conference. “They had minor issues after the match but they had enough time to recover. So everyone except for Reece James is available, and we will take the decision tomorrow.”

Despite that reassurance, Rice was not risked from the off. Elliot Anderson was named as the sole holding midfielder in Tuchel’s XI, with Jarell Quansah coming in at right-back to cover for the absent James. Jude Bellingham dropped slightly deeper, allowing Morgan Rogers to operate at No. 10.

Rice has been a near-constant presence in England’s midfield since Tuchel took charge almost two years ago, making his absence — even as a precautionary measure — notable for supporters. The nature of the injury, sustained during the Ghana stalemate, was not specified, though Tuchel’s comments suggested it was not considered serious.

England entered the Panama fixture having already secured a point from their opening two Group L games, with Panama having lost both of theirs — to Croatia and Ghana — and already eliminated from contention. The relatively low-stakes nature of the match made it a logical opportunity for Tuchel to protect Rice from further risk ahead of the knockout rounds.