Declan Rice spent three days in bed before Norway match

England manager Thomas Tuchel has provided insight into Declan Rice's physical condition during the lead-up to their World Cup quarter-final victory against Norway. The midfielder was sidelined by a sickness bug, forcing him to spend nearly three days in bed.

Despite the illness, Rice started the match, which resulted in a 2-1 win for England. However, he appeared to struggle with the intense heat at the Miami Stadium and was substituted at half-time for Eberechi Eze. Tuchel explained that the decision was a blend of tactical necessity and player management.

We had to take Elliott or Declan out, 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. I didn't want to waste another change, so the decision was to take Declan earlier out. Thomas Tuchel

The situation was further complicated by an existing neural issue involving Rice's hamstring and lower back, which had been exacerbated by his recent sickness. He managed to train on the eve of the quarter-final but was clearly not at full fitness during the game.

Following their victory, England is set to take on Argentina in the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday, 15 July.