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England head coach Thomas Tuchel has appointed Declan Rice as the Three Lions' new vice-captain, before realizing he has yet to formally communicate that decision to the Arsenal midfielder.
Rice stepped in as captain for Arsenal on several occasions in the absence of club skipper Martin Ødegaard this past season, playing a pivotal role both on and off the field as the Gunners finally broke their 22-year Premier League title drought.
Tuchel was evidently won over by Rice's growing leadership qualities and will lean on the 27-year-old as a key figure in England's leadership structure alongside captain Harry Kane.
"I think I would say Declan is my vice-captain," Tuchel confirmed.
When asked whether Rice actually knows about this, Tuchel chuckled: "That is a good question. I was just thinking about it, whether it is an official thing or not.
"But I think we had this conversation when Harry wasn't in camp with us. Was it against Wales? We started with Ollie Watkins and I think Declan was captain. That was where I told him."
The Qualities Rice Brings to England
Leadership is nothing new for Rice, who first wore the armband at West Ham United in 2020, just three years after making his senior debut. By 2022, he had become the Hammers' permanent captain at just 23 years of age.
When he took over the captaincy from Mark Noble four years ago, Rice also put himself forward as a future England captain.
"I feel like that is the pinnacle of football, captaining your country," Rice told West Ham media in 2022. "But I'm still so young and we've got a great captain in Harry Kane. He's still got many, many years left of playing in an England shirt and I'm sure there is so much more he is going to want to achieve.
"But, one day, if he retires and I'm still in the squad, I'd love to be up there. I'd love to be England captain one day."
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Such responsibility is never simply handed to a player at the highest level. Rice has had to earn every leadership role at both club and country, and this season marked a new chapter as the midfielder demonstrated his ability to unite his Arsenal teammates — some of whom carry far greater experience — during a high-stakes Premier League title challenge.
Rice drew widespread mockery from rival supporters on social media after cameras captured him telling teammates the title race was "not done" following April's loss to Manchester City, but that moment is precisely the kind of display that will have persuaded Tuchel to elevate Rice's standing within the squad.
It was significant that, at arguably the most pressurized point of Arsenal's campaign, Rice's instinct was not only to ease the tension but to actively rally those around him. Should England encounter adversity this summer at a World Cup where the Three Lions are considered among the pre-tournament favorites, Tuchel will be counting on exactly that same response.