England vice captain for World Cup revealed as Arsenal star gets the nod | OneFootball

Thomas Tuchel confirms Harry Kane’s summer understudy

Harry Kane donned the armband as the Three Lions beat New Zealand in a friendly on Saturday night, but Jude Bellingham inherited it when Thomas Tuchel made eleven half-time substitutions.

Rice joined the England camp on Saturday, arriving late alongside his Arsenal team-mates Eberchi Eze, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke after they were handed extra time off following the Champions League final.

Passing the torch: Declan Rice will bear the captain’s armband when Harry Kane is not on the pitch

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Rice is a member of Tuchel’s leadership group, and has won the armband before.

While vice-captain is not an official designation at the tournament, Tuchel confirmed after the New Zealand match that Rice would take Kane’s place if need be.

Jude Bellingham wore the captain’s armband in the second half of England’s friendly victory over New Zealand

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“When Harry missed a game against Wales [in October] we started with Ollie Watkins and Declan was captain. That was where I told him.”

Tuchel continued, assuring reporters that Bellingham is an important member of his squad despite this snub.

“[Bellingham] is one of the starters but there are 14, 15 potential starters,” he elaborated.

“And then there’s a special group and then there is a leadership group and then there are guys who finish matches for us and get the energy right and have more of a role of setting the standards and accepting their roles for challenging.

“And these roles can always change but in my head there are 15, 14 proper starters and Jude is one of them.”