Declan Rice has expressed confidence in England's set-piece delivery ahead of the Ghana match, telling BBC Sport he feels assured of creating dangerous opportunities from corners and free-kicks. Rice credited Arsenal's set-piece coach Nico Jover and manager for spotting his ability to 'put balls in areas that no-one else can' after taking over set-piece duties in January 2024.
England demonstrated their threat from set-pieces in their opening 4–2 victory over Croatia, with Harry Kane scoring twice—one from open play following a Rice-assisted foul, the second directly from a Rice corner. The change was timely: Arsenal scored from a tournament-leading 19 corners last season, and 25 goals overall from set-plays, earning criticism for their pragmatism but undeniable effectiveness.
Rice, 27, is England's vice-captain at the World Cup. He said: 'As time has gone on I feel like now every time I put down a ball for a set-piece—whether it's a corner or a wide free-kick—I feel like I'm going to get an assist or make something happen that's dangerous. That's a good mentality to have.' Head coach Thomas Tuchel has prioritized set-piece work alongside broader tactical development since taking over in January 2025.
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