England midfielder Declan Rice missed training on Wednesday, three days before meeting France in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Sources close to the England team said the player was ill, without giving details on the nature or severity of the symptoms.
Substitute forward Callum Wilson also continued to be treated for a “mild muscle strain”.
Rice, 23, is regarded as a key player for England, especially in terms of rebounding from opponents, but he is also often the first to create attacks with his very accurate passes.
Rice, along with Jordan Henderson and up-and-coming Judd Bellingham, were instrumental in England’s 3-0 victory over Wales in the third and final round of the group stage and Senegal in the final with the same result.
Rice’s absence from next Saturday’s meeting with France will have a big impact on the squad of coach Gareth Southgate, as he has no worthy alternative, Mason Mount or Kelvin Phillips are more attacking players, and Connor Gallagher lacks experience (4 international Matches).
Source: AFP.