Declan Rice is expected to be fit for England’s World Cup match against Ghana despite experiencing lower back pain during the win over Croatia. The 27-year-old Arsenal midfielder was taken off midway through the second half, prompting concerns about his condition. However, the issue is not thought to be serious and should not rule him out of Tuesday’s 21:00 kickoff in Boston. Rice has been managing the problem for some time and will continue to do so during the tournament.
After the game, manager Thomas Tuchel said he noticed Rice make some uncharacteristic errors and show signs of discomfort. Rice indicated the pain was in his lower back and upper hamstring, so Tuchel chose not to take any risks. He added that Rice reassured him afterward and that the team will manage the issue, which they do not believe is significant.