Tuchel: Rice spent nearly three days in bed before Norway match due to sickness bug, substituted at halftime

Published Jul 13, 11:38 AM UTC

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England manager Thomas Tuchel revealed that midfielder Declan Rice spent most of the three days before the World Cup quarter-final against Norway in bed due to a sickness bug. Rice started the match in Miami but struggled in the heat and was substituted at halftime for Eberechi Eze. England fell behind to a goal from Andreas Schjelderup, but Jude Bellingham equalized before halftime and scored the winner in extra time to secure a 2-1 victory. The win sets up a semi-final against Argentina on July 15. Tuchel explained that Rice had also been dealing with a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back, and the illness compounded his condition. Rice trained the day before the match but could not last 90 minutes. He has started five of England's six World Cup matches.

Source report

Bellingham scores extra-time winner as England reach semi-finals

By Mandeep Sanghera BBC Sport journalist

England boss Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Declan Rice spent most of the three days before the World Cup quarter-final win against Norway in bed with sickness.

Midfielder Rice started the 2-1 victory against Norway but appeared to struggle in the stifling heat of the Miami Stadium. He was replaced at the start of the second half by Arsenal team-mate Eberechi Eze.

Norway took the lead through Andreas Schjelderup, but Jude Bellingham equalised just before half-time and scored the winner for England during extra time.

The victory sets up a semi-final against Argentina, who beat Switzerland. The match kicks off at 20:00 BST on Wednesday, 15 July and will be shown live across the BBC.

"We had some players struggling in the heat," said Tuchel. "Ezri Konsa was one of them with cramps and the hamstrings.

"Declan, we made a decision at half-time to become more offensive, to have a bit of an offensive shift.

"I made the decision when we were 1-0 down and didn't want to go back on the decision because of the equaliser."

Rice had been a doubt for the Norway game, having already been suffering with a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back, which was exacerbated by illness. He trained on the eve of the quarter-final but was withdrawn at the break.

Tuchel added: "We had to take Elliot [Anderson] or Declan out [and] knowing that Declan struggled after the last three days where he was most of the time in bed, I knew he cannot survive 90 minutes.

"There was a possibility that it goes 120 [minutes], so I didn't want to waste another change, so the decision was to take Declan out earlier than he needed to go out, just to save us another change later down the match."

Rice, who helped Arsenal win last season's Premier League title, has started five of England's six matches at the 2026 World Cup. The group game against Panama is the only one he has missed.

Source

BBC SportWestern

Original headline: Rice in bed for nearly three days before Norway game - Tuchel

Original language: EN-GB

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Thomas Tuchel Jude Bellingham England Norway Argentina