England are hopeful that Declan Rice will be fit to face Ghana in their upcoming World Cup group stage fixture in Boston on Tuesday.
The Arsenal midfielder was substituted midway through the second half of England’s win over Croatia after showing signs of discomfort during the match.
Rice, 27, is understood to have been dealing with a lower back issue that he has been carrying for some time throughout the tournament.
The complaint will require careful management by England’s medical staff as the competition progresses beyond the group stages.
Despite concerns following the substitution, it is understood the problem is unlikely to rule Rice out of the Ghana fixture, which kicks off at 21:00.
England manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed after the Croatia match that he had noticed Rice struggling and decided not to take any risks with the midfielder.
Tuchel said: “Declan had some unusual ball losses and I saw a bit of discomfort.”
The Germany coach elaborated further, adding: “And then I asked him, and he pointed directly to his lower back, upper hamstring, that he feels the discomfort.”
Tuchel was keen to reassure supporters that the issue was not a serious cause for alarm, saying: “I didn’t want to take any risks, I hope it’s nothing more. Declan just reassured me at the end.”
The England manager concluded: “We will take care of it, and it’s nothing big to worry about.”
Rice has been a key figure in England’s midfield throughout the tournament, making his fitness situation one of the most closely watched developments in the camp.
His ability to play against Ghana will be crucial given how central he is to Tuchel’s plans for England’s World Cup campaign in 2026.
