Why Declan Rice got a 1st-minute yellow card for England against Mexico

Why Declan Rice got a 1st-minute yellow card for England against Mexico originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Declan Rice didn’t get off to the start he wanted on Sunday night in the World Cup Round of 16.

As England took on Mexico, Rice picked up a yellow card in the very first minute.

That changes the way Rice plays the rest of the match. He has to avoid picking up a second yellow, which becomes a red card and sends him off.

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Why did Declan Rice get a 1st-minute yellow card?

Rice got himself caught in a bad situation.

He went for a ball with a high boot as a Mexican player stuck his head down a bit to head it.

While it isn’t necessarily Rice’s fault, it’s an easy yellow:

Declan Rice sees yellow early at Mexico City Stadium 🟨 pic.twitter.com/bGNDBLXYAO

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 6, 2026

Rice is an action man in the midfield for England, as he showed while getting involved like this right away.

But when the timing is off in the intensity at the Azteca, it can create problems.

Rice will have to be careful the rest of the way.

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