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  "path": "/2026/07/03/england-star-terrible-pain-thomas-tuchel-gives-worrying-world-cup-update-29025110/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-03T08:05:14.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "Declan Rice",
    "England men's football team",
    "Thomas Tuchel",
    "World Cup",
    "England",
    "Arsenal",
    "for the last 32 game against DR Congo",
    "Sign up now",
    "Rice told reporters he was ‘as good as gold’ after the dramatic win",
    "Reece James",
    "Jarell Quansah",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "Tuchel could have another problem to solve (Picture: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)\n\nDeclan Rice was playing through ‘terrible pain’ in England’s World Cup win over DR Congo but the Arsenal midfielder hopes to be fit for the last 16 showdown with Mexico.\n\nThe Gunners star has been dealing with neural pain in his hamstring and lower back since the turn of the year that has affected his game time at the tournament so far.\n\nRice was replaced in the second-half against Croatia and was left out of the starting XI in the final group game against Panama.\n\nHe returned to the starting XI for the last 32 game against DR Congo but came off in stoppage time, immediately spotted with an icepack on his hamstring while sat on the bench.\n\n##  Don't miss a World Cup moment\n\nEngland's hero (Picture:Getty)\n\nWhat a rollercoaster this has been. Make sense of the drama with **Metro's** free daily newsletter, featuring England updates, match previews and exclusive analysis. Sign up now.\n\nRice told reporters he was ‘as good as gold’ after the dramatic win over DR Congo, having also slotted into a right-back role in that game.\n\nSpeaking ahead of Sunday’s game against Mexico, Tuchel revealed his midfielder asked to come off such was a discomfort he was experiencing.\n\n‘I asked him very late and he said “I can do it for the team, but I am in terrible pain”,’ Tuchel said.\n\nRice has been nursing a hamstring injury (Picture: Javier Garcia/Shutterstock)\n\n‘When Declan tells you that he is in terrible pain, then you know he cannot take it anymore, so he was grateful that we took him off.\n\n‘He just said after the game it’s not an issue, he will recover, so there is no injury. He was just in pain so I hope he is right. It’s more nerval pain.’\n\nAsked if he can go from game to game, Tuchel said: ‘He can, yeah.’\n\nEngland return to action against Mexico on Sunday (Picture: 2026 Visionhaus)\n\nEngland were without Reece James and Jarell Quansah in their last game.\n\n‘They are getting close. They are getting closer and closer. I saw them on the pitch,’ Tuchel said of the pair.\n\n‘In the nature of their injury, Jarell is a little bit ahead of Reecey. But the race was close even to make it into the match squad this time, so we need to make sure that we have more matches.\n\n‘That is the main focus and then they will be available very soon.’\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "England star in ‘terrible pain’ as Thomas Tuchel gives worrying World Cup update"
}