Overview
- Declan Rice was confirmed by manager Thomas Tuchel as England’s vice‑captain after the squad’s warm‑up fixtures, a role that places him directly behind skipper Harry Kane in the leadership group.
- Rice and Arsenal team‑mates Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze joined England’s training base in West Palm Beach after the New Zealand friendly, with the quartet reunited following Arsenal’s Champions League final run.
- Tuchel said he was not certain whether Rice had been told the role in a formal meeting and quoted the midfielder’s previous captaincy in an October friendly as the basis for the decision.
- The manager is still finalising game time for the late arrivals for the Costa Rica friendly in Orlando and has scheduled a behind‑closed‑doors match with Miami FC to balance minutes before the squad travels to Kansas City.
- Rice brings experience and continuity — he has 72 caps and helped Arsenal win the Premier League this season — and his elevation could influence future captaincy choices at both national and club level.