Declan Rice Appointed England Vice-Captain for World Cup by Thomas Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel has announced that Declan Rice will serve as England's vice-captain during the upcoming World Cup. The 27-year-old midfielder joined his Arsenal teammates at their training camp in Florida, just as the rest of the squad secured a narrow 1-0 victory over New Zealand in Tampa.

Rice, a key figure in Arsenal's recent Premier League triumph and a crucial player in last weekend's Champions League final, arrived in West Palm Beach alongside Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze. With 72 caps to his name, Rice is widely regarded as an integral part of the England lineup, having previously stepped up in leadership during Harry Kane's absence in an October friendly against Wales. “I think I would say Declan is my vice-captain,” Tuchel stated after the match against New Zealand. He added, with a hint of humor, “That is a good question. I was just thinking about it. Whether it is an official thing or not.”

The Arsenal players joined the rest of the squad on Sunday, focusing on their upcoming warm-up match against Costa Rica in Orlando. Tuchel indicated that the strategy for this friendly would differ from the previous game, where he employed two distinct teams in each half. However, he has yet to determine how to best integrate the Arsenal players into the lineup. “We will get bigger chunks of minutes because it is part of the build-up,” he explained, noting the need for players to gain sufficient playing time ahead of the tournament.

Tuchel confirmed that England will have a closed-door match against Miami FC after facing Costa Rica to help manage player minutes further. Miami FC, which competes in the USL Championship, has a rich history, including a period under the management of Italian football legend Alessandro Nesta.

As England prepares to embark on their World Cup journey, they will travel to Kansas City on Saturday. Their tournament opener is scheduled for June 17 against Croatia, followed by matches against Ghana and Panama in Group L.