Tuchel Reveals Declan Rice's Struggles

England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed that midfielder Declan Rice continues to play for the national team despite suffering from severe nerve pain, stating that the player competes while feeling what he described as "almost unbearable pain" due to the heavy workload and numerous matches this season.

Tuchel said: "I asked him, and he told me: I can do this for the team, but I am in a lot of pain. And when Declan says he is in severe pain, you know he has reached his limit.".

He clarified that the player is not dealing with a new muscle injury, but rather pain stemming from a nerve issue in the hamstring and lower back area, a problem he has been experiencing since last December.

The German coach pointed out that the main reason is the excessive number of matches Rice has played for both his club and country, emphasizing that rest is the true remedy for this condition, but he expressed confidence in the player's ability to recover and continue with England during the tournament.

Rice himself had previously admitted that he has been managing this issue since the second half of the season, confirming that the busy match schedule forced him to play while dealing with this nerve pain, hoping for a complete rest period after the end of the season and the World Cup.