Declan Rice Named England Vice-Captain for 2026 World Cup by Thomas Tuchel

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has been officially appointed as England’s vice-captain for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

During the 2025-26 season, Rice played a crucial role in helping Arsenal secure the Premier League title. He has also been a key player for the national team, earning 72 caps, scoring six goals, and providing six assists.

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has not disclosed specifics regarding his leadership group but confirmed that Rice will don the captain’s armband in the absence of skipper Harry Kane.

“I never talk about the leadership group,” Tuchel stated. “Declan is my vice-captain. We had this discussion with the squad when Harry was not in camp with us.”.

Tuchel emphasized the significance of team spirit for England’s success in the tournament. He noted that a strong sense of unity will be essential for achieving their goals this summer.

Rice Confirmed as Vice-Captain

The announcement of Tuchel’s squad faced criticism, particularly with notable omissions like Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Harry Maguire. Despite this, Tuchel reiterated that collective strength is more important than individual players.

“I think the players want to impress and they want to impress me. That’s why we selected this group,” he added. “I feel they do it in a very complicit way. That’s the spirit we want to have and will need throughout the tournament.”.

Team Spirit Key to Success

Tuchel explained that he does not want players on the bench hoping for others’ misfortunes. Instead, he believes they should support one another: “They know that they haven’t played together since November. Some are coming back from holiday and need to restart their engines. Everything is fine.”.

Although Rice has captained England on two occasions previously, he ranks behind Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka in terms of captaincy at Arsenal. The 27-year-old is expected to be a vital part of Tuchel’s plans for the World Cup, despite missing Saturday’s friendly against New Zealand due to additional time off following his participation in Arsenal’s Champions League final.