Paul Scholes Advocates for Bold Midfield Changes in England's World Cup Strategy

In a bold move, Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has advised England's head coach Thomas Tuchel to drop Declan Rice in favor of a more attack-oriented approach for the World Cup knockout stages. Scholes argues that England's recent performances lack attacking intent, especially after a series of mixed results in the group stage. He believes that selecting Elliot Anderson over Rice could enhance the team's midfield dynamics, enabling them to better compete against heavyweights like France and Argentina. With Rice expected to return from injury, the decision could significantly impact England's strategy moving forward.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 30, 2026, 02:27 IST

Scholes Calls for Tactical Shift

Paul Scholes, a legendary figure from Manchester United, has encouraged England's head coach Thomas Tuchel to consider a significant change by dropping Declan Rice for the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup. He believes that a more aggressive strategy is essential to effectively compete against top teams like France and Argentina.

Although England secured the top position in Group L with seven points, Scholes feels that the team's performance has not been convincing. The Three Lions started strong with a 4-2 victory over Croatia, but followed it up with a goalless draw against Ghana and a lackluster 2-0 win over Panama, which highlighted a deficiency in their attacking play.

Scholes Prefers Anderson Over Rice

The former midfielder insists that England needs to adopt a more daring midfield strategy to take on formidable opponents like France and Argentina. During a discussion on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes stated, "In the next match, England shouldn't rely on two defensive midfielders. No offense to Congo, but in such matches, it's better to field as many attackers as possible. It should be a direct choice between Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, and I would opt for Anderson."

"Anderson tends to pass the ball forward more effectively. Consider Rice's time at Arsenal; while he is undoubtedly a talented player and a strong leader, Arsenal's performance last season wasn't stellar either. Rice struggled to involve Martin Odegaard in the game, which might have affected his play for England. I believe Anderson wouldn't face the same issue," he added.

Rice's Injury Update

Declan Rice was sidelined during England's last group match against Panama due to a calf injury. However, he is anticipated to make a return to the starting lineup for the upcoming Round of 32 match against DR Congo.