Declan Rice battled through significant pain to help England book their place in the World Cup last 16, with Thomas Tuchel revealing the Arsenal midfielder pushed himself to his limit during the dramatic win over DR Congo.
England secured a 2-1 comeback victory in Atlanta thanks to Harry Kane’s late brace, but Rice’s fitness emerged as one of the biggest talking points after the final whistle.
The 27-year-old was visibly struggling during the closing stages before eventually asking to be substituted after playing through discomfort.
Rice has been managing a nerve-related issue affecting his lower back and hamstrings throughout the tournament.
Despite those concerns, the Arsenal midfielder remained on the pitch for as long as possible as England searched for a winner.
Speaking after the match, Tuchel praised Rice’s commitment while providing an encouraging update on his condition.
“I asked him and he said he could do it for the team, but he was in terrible pain,” Tuchel explained. “When Declan says that, you know he has reached his limit.”
The England head coach added that Rice believed the issue was pain rather than a fresh injury.
“He told us after the game that it is not an injury.”
“I hope he is right because it is more neural pain.”
Tuchel also expressed confidence that the Arsenal star would recover in time for Sunday’s last-16 meeting with co-hosts Mexico.
England face a demanding test in Mexico City, where the altitude will provide another physical challenge after an exhausting knockout victory.
Rice’s determination has been evident throughout the tournament.
He was substituted against Croatia with similar discomfort before missing the final group-stage match against Panama to manage his workload.
The Arsenal midfielder returned against DR Congo and completed almost the entire contest despite clearly being restricted physically.
Tuchel even moved Rice to right-back late in the match following tactical changes that helped England seize control during the closing stages.
His versatility allowed England to commit more players forward as they searched for an equaliser before Kane struck twice to complete the turnaround.
For Arsenal supporters, Rice’s willingness to play through pain will be admired, but it will also be a source of concern after another demanding campaign.
The midfielder was a driving force behind Arsenal’s Premier League title success before immediately linking up with England for the World Cup.
His importance to both club and country has been underlined once again in North America.
England will now hope Rice can recover fully before facing Mexico, with Tuchel making it clear he expects one of his most influential players to be available.
Given Rice’s resilience throughout the tournament, there will be optimism that he can once again overcome the discomfort and lead England’s midfield in one of their biggest matches of the competition.