Declan Rice was observed icing his left hamstring shortly after being substituted in England's World Cup last-32 match against DR Congo. The midfielder was removed from play in injury time of the contest, which England won 2-1 following two late goals from Harry Kane. Shortly after taking his place on the bench, Rice was seen with medical staff applying an ice pack to his hamstring.
The Arsenal player has been managing a neural hamstring complaint, which he described as a "strange" and unusual issue. He recently shared that the pain can manifest as a shooting sensation even when he is at rest. Rice has stated that he has been prioritizing games and managing the issue as best he can, playing 55 times for his club and 10 times for his country during a demanding campaign.
This recent attention to his hamstring follows other instances of concern during the tournament. Rice was seen with heavy strapping on his left calf after England's draw with Panama and was substituted after 72 minutes in their opening match against Croatia. Manager Thomas Tuchel had previously rested Rice for England's final group stage match against Panama, a decision that was also influenced by the player being at risk of suspension. Despite stating the calf issue had cleared up before the DR Congo match, Rice's continued fitness is seen as crucial for England's progress in the tournament.