Tuchel expects Rice to recover from nerve pain for England's last-16 clash with Mexico

Thomas Tuchel has offered a cautiously optimistic assessment of Declan Rice’s fitness, saying the Arsenal midfielder has “no injury” and should be available for England’s World Cup last-16 match against Mexico at the Azteca on Sunday.

Rice was substituted late in England’s 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo, having spent much of the tournament managing nerve pain in his back. The 27-year-old has logged over 4,000 minutes this season, making him one of the most heavily used players at the tournament.

Tuchel said Rice’s own admission of pain was a telling signal, given the midfielder’s well-known threshold for discomfort. “I asked him. He said: ‘I can do it for the team but I am in terrible pain’ and when Declan tells you he is in terrible pain then you know he cannot take it anymore,” the England head coach explained. “He was grateful we took him off but he said after the game it’s not an issue. There is no injury, I think he will recover. He was just in pain and I hope he is right. It’s more nerve pain.”

Tuchel believes Rice can manage the issue on a game-by-game basis. The midfielder’s versatility also adds a tactical dimension for England, who have struggled at right-back throughout the tournament. Rice filled in at that position for the final 12 minutes of the Congo match before being withdrawn, and could be called upon there again against Mexico — though the player himself is not keen on the role.

“It was probably the hardest 12 minutes of the game having a stint at right-back,” Rice said after the Congo victory. “In games like that it was probably too much of a basketball match at times, back and forth, and we had to take the sting out of it because they have fast wingers. I think we made more hard work of it than we needed to.”

Rice acknowledged he has experience in the position but was candid about its limitations for him. “I have played there two or three times this season, I know the role, it is probably not my biggest strength, but to do anything for the team and the manager. Let’s see what happens next game, but hopefully I don’t have to be at right-back.”