Thomas Tuchel has given Bukayo Saka a clear boost before England's meeting with Ghana. He said Saka feels no more pain after recovering from an Achilles injury and is “ready to go”, but stopped short of saying whether he starts or comes from the bench. At the same time, Declan Rice is set to win his 75th cap, and Tuchel made no attempt to hide how highly he rates him.
Rice's milestone and Tuchel's praise
Rice's next appearance will bring up 75 England caps, a tidy landmark for a player who has become a fixed point in the side. Tuchel's language on him was stronger than routine praise. He said Rice is “one of the very best midfielders in the world” and added that his career makes him one of the best at the moment.
That view is Tuchel's opinion, not a universal verdict, but it tells you where Rice sits in the England manager's thinking. The midfielder also has 1 goal involvement in 72 minutes at the World Cup this season, a small return that still fits the idea of a player trusted to influence games without needing the ball to run through him.
Saka, Madueke and the right-side decision
The more immediate selection call is on the right. Tuchel said it is “another big thing on the right wing between Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka” and pointed out that both players do it for Arsenal as well. He also made the one point England fans wanted to hear: Saka feels no more pain after the Achilles issue that has kept him in the discussion.
That does not make the starting spot automatic. Tuchel was explicit that he would not tell anyone whether Saka starts or comes from the bench, which leaves the competition live rather than settled. Saka's own output at the World Cup is already tidy enough, with 1 goal involvement in 22 minutes, while Madueke's 7.7 rating shows why he is more than a backup option.
England's build-up to Ghana has become a fairly simple story: one star winger is fit again, one senior midfielder is being talked up in the strongest terms, and Tuchel is still holding back on the final right-wing call. The squad gets a useful problem to solve before the Ghana game, and the answer will matter more than the praise.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →