Declan Rice Withdraws from England Duty Ahead of Nations League

Declan Rice has withdrawn from England duty, one of five high-profile absentees from Thomas Tuchel’s latest squad for the UEFA Nations League.

The Arsenal midfielder, a cornerstone of England’s recent 2026 World Cup run, has pulled out along with Newcastle’s Tino Livramento, Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer and the Manchester United pair Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford.

English outlet "The Sun" reports that all five have stepped away from the Three Lions camp because of injury issues, with Rice’s case specifically linked to load management after a gruelling stretch for club and country.

Tuchel has moved quickly to plug the gaps. James Garner and Morgan Gibbs-White have been called up late and are due to link up with the rest of the squad at St George’s Park on Tuesday, walking into a camp suddenly reshaped just days before competitive action.

Upcoming Matches

England’s schedule offers no breathing space. Spain visit Wembley on Saturday in a marquee Nations League clash, before Tuchel’s side fly to Prague to face the Czech Republic on Tuesday. A trip to Rijeka follows on 3 October to meet Croatia, then England return to London for a second encounter with the Czechs on 6 October.

Rice’s absence lands hardest. The Arsenal star was central to England’s surge to third place at the 2026 World Cup, their best finish on the global stage since lifting the trophy in 1966. He started every match last summer except the final group game against Panama, pushing his international tally to 80 caps and underlining his status as one of the first names on the team sheet.

Now Tuchel must reshape his midfield without the player who has become England’s metronome. With Spain looming and a demanding Nations League run ahead, the question is simple: who steps up to fill the void Rice leaves behind?