England has announced its vice-captain for the upcoming World Cup, and it's none other than Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice. The 27-year-old player, who has earned 72 caps for the Three Lions, will be one of the most experienced players in Thomas Tuchel's starting line-up.
Rice recently played a pivotal role in helping Arsenal secure their first Premier League win since 2003-04. He also led his team to reach the Champions League final, where they narrowly lost on penalties to Paris St-Germain last weekend.
The seasoned player had previously stepped up as captain during Harry Kane's absence in an October friendly against Wales. During that match, Ollie Watkins replaced Kane in England’s attack.
Thomas Tuchel, England manager, said:
"I think I would say Declan is my vice-captain,"
Asked whether Rice knows he has that role, Tuchel added:
"That is a good question. I was just thinking about it. Whether it is an official thing or not.
"But I think we had this talk when Harry was not in camp with us. We started with Ollie and I think Declan was captain. That was where I told him."
Joining forces at training camp
Rice and his fellow Arsenal teammates Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze have now joined England's training camp located in the United States. They began their group work on Sunday at Florida.
Thomas Tuchel’s side is scheduled to play one more friendly game against Costa Rica this Wednesday in Orlando. Following this match, they will participate in a behind-closed-doors game with Miami FC before heading off to their Kansas City base on Saturday.
The Three Lions are set to kick off their World Cup campaign on June 17th against Croatia. They will also face Ghana and Panama as part of Group L matches during this prestigious tournament. For sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike, these developments offer exciting prospects as we look forward to seeing how Rice performs as vice-captain under Thomas Tuchel’s leadership.
Declan Rice’s appointment as vice-captain not only highlights his individual talent but also underscores the depth of experience within England's World Cup squad. As we anticipate the upcoming matches, it will be interesting to see how this dynamic team navigates through the tournament under their new leadership structure.
