Declan Rice, an Arsenal midfielder, has been appointed as the vice-captain for the England national team at the upcoming World Cup.
Having already accumulated 72 caps for the Three Lions, Rice is set to be one of the most seasoned players in Thomas Tuchel’s starting line-up.
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The 27-year-old recently played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s Premier League victory—their first since the 2003-04 season—and reached the Champions League final, where they were narrowly defeated by Paris St-Germain in a penalty shootout.
Rice temporarily stepped in as captain for the friendly match against Wales in October during Harry Kane‘s absence, with Ollie Watkins taking Kane’s place in the attack.
“I consider Declan as my vice-captain,” Tuchel stated following Saturday’s friendly win over New Zealand.
When asked if Rice is aware of his role, the England manager remarked, “That’s a good question. I was actually reflecting on it. I’m not sure if it’s an official title or not.” He further elaborated, “We discussed this when Harry was not part of our camp. We initially started with Ollie, and I think Declan served as captain in that context.”
Alongside Rice, his Arsenal teammates Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze have joined the England training camp in the United States, beginning their session in Florida on Sunday.
Tuchel’s squad will face Costa Rica in another friendly in Orlando on Wednesday, followed by a closed-doors match against Miami FC before they head to their base in Kansas City on Saturday.
The Three Lions are set to kick off their World Cup journey on June 17 against Croatia and will also face Ghana and Panama as part of Group L.