Bellingham has the plaudits but Rice would be huge loss for England
In England's charge to the World Cup quarter-finals, Jude Bellingham has been the standout name that has fans and pundits purring over his performances.
The 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder has played in all four of England's games, putting in marauding and high-energy showings that have steered England to victory in three out of their four matches.
His wide range of abilities - from his technical skillset and physical attributes to his excellent reading of the game - has shown he's a versatile and resilient player who not only has the potential to reach the very top, but may in fact already be there.
Yet while Bellingham seems to take the plaudits and pressure admirably in his stride, it is his midfield partner, Declan Rice, who has quietly gone under the radar with his own string of impressive displays.
The West Ham captain has been a mainstay in England's starting line-ups since the beginning of Euro 2020 and has started every game for Gareth Southgate's side in Qatar.
He played the full 90 in England's 6-2 trouncing of Iran and was one of England's brighter players in the below-par draw with the USA.
The 23-year-old also started against Wales, coming off for a well-earned rest after 56 minutes with England already 3-0 up - giving some much-needed minutes to Kalvin Phillips, who has just returned from a long-term injury.
While Bellingham is seemingly setting the world alight with his box-to-box approach, it is the West Ham man that does the undesirable dirty work in Bellingham's stead.
Rice covered more distance than any other England player in the last 16 win over Senegal, clocking up a phenomenal 62 sprints - one more than Bellingham - and covering an exhausting 12km throughout the 90 minutes as the Three Lions ran out 3-0 winners.
Against the USA, he was a vital part in at least keeping a physical and sprightly midfield at bay, completing three interceptions, more than anyone else on the pitch in the full 90 minutes. He did exactly the same in the opening game against Iran.
Mopping up and doing the dirty work still does Rice an injustice, however, as his technical abilities are often overlooked, with the holding midfielder never afraid to get involved with attacking moves, and his impressive first touch often leads to him finding strong crossing positions.
But it's his ability and willingness to shield his backline and provide much-needed cover for Harry Maguire and John Stones, as well as offering them both a useful out ball when playing out the back, that makes him a vital cog in Southgate's machine.
His confidence is clear to see, with the player seemingly thoroughly enjoying his time in Qatar, smiling his way through press conferences and post-match interviews.
If fit, he will be one of the first names on the team sheet for England against France on Saturday, with his instinct of cutting off passing lanes from midfield to attack key, especially with the likes of a deep-dropping Antoine Griezmann feeding Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Olivier Giroud.
He will be a huge miss if he's unavailable, and something the French side would no doubt be happy to hear.
Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips and Liverpool's Jordan Henderson would be on-hand to replace him, that is if Southgate sticks with his current 4-2-3-1 formation. Henderson in particular has played an important role in each of his appearances at this World Cup, while Phillips provides a steely defensive option that Southgate is no stranger to.
But England fans will be hoping the budding Bellingham and Rice partnership can continue against the defending world champions, in what will prove to be England's toughest test so far in Qatar.
