The England midfielder says he has been managing hamstring pain since Christmas as he opens the worst physical of a 63-game season and reassures fans about his fitness for Ghana.England’s opening win over Croatia delivered just about everything Thomas Tuchel could have wanted from the start of a World Cup campaign. Harry Kane scored twice, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford added further goals, and a 4-2 win in Dallas immediately boosted England’s hopes of finishing top of Group L.The only concern came with 18 minutes remaining.Declan Rice, one of England’s most important players and the midfielder around whom much of the team’s balance is built, was withdrawn in the 72nd minute. Given the importance of the Arsenal midfielder and the timing of the substitution, concern quickly spread over whether England had suffered a significant injury setback after just one game of the tournament.Rice has now revealed that the decision was related to an issue she has been managing quietly for more than six months.Far from being a new injury, the problem dates back to Christmas and has been largely hidden from public view despite Rice continuing to play one of the busiest seasons of his career.
The injury problem England fans didn’t know about
Speaking after the match, Rice explained that he has been dealing with nerve pain in his hamstring since midway through Arsenal’s domestic campaign.“I think it was a smart decision,” Rice told ITV Sport.“I felt a bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I managed after Christmas with Arsenal for a long time.“Obviously, not many people would have known about it. It was all behind the scenes stuff.”The problem affects the upper area of the muscles, with pain radiating into his back, but Rice made it clear that England’s medical staff and coaching team saw the substitution as a precaution rather than a response to a serious setback.The midfielder thought that the timing was particularly important because the closing stages of the games are often when the accumulated fatigue puts the greatest tension in the body.“But it was a smart decision,” he said.“Ultimately, the last 20 minutes is probably where you take the most, and that’s where you play a 70-minute match, but that last 20 is where you really feel your body going through it.”
A season that rarely stops
Rice’s comments also provide insight into the extraordinary demands placed on elite players during the modern football schedule.England’s World Cup opener against Croatia was their 63rd game of the 2025-26 season.Fifty-five of those appearances came for Arsenal, who had one of the most successful campaigns in their recent history, winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final. Rice then went on to make eight appearances for England before and during the World Cup.The cumulative workload left little room for recovery.Reflecting on the schedule, Rice described the demands as relentless.“That’s an obscene amount of games,” he said.“The schedule was crazy, but what can we do about it? You can’t sit back and complain.“We just have to go for the moments like I had in the Premier League, winning that Premier League.“You know you’re playing as many games as possible to get that feeling again and knowing there’s still a World Cup at the end.“You know you put your body on the line to still be playing. It’s a lot of games, but we have our break at the end.”Those comments underscore why England were unwilling to take unnecessary risks against Croatia, especially with two group stage games still to play.
Rice allays fears ahead of Ghana
The substitution immediately created questions over Rice’s availability for England’s second Group L match against Ghana.However, the midfielder moved quickly to reassure supporters that he remains fully available and expects to be involved.“I’m ready, I’m fit, raring to go,” he said.“I think it was a smart decision because the last few days I’ve been feeling really, really good.”England know that a win over Ghana would put them in a commanding position to secure qualification for the knockout stages, making Rice’s availability particularly significant.The midfielder has become one of the most influential players in the team, providing defensive security while also helping England move the ball forward in midfield.
Manage the recovery of Bukayo Saka
Rice also addressed the fitness situation surrounding his Arsenal and England teammate Bukayo Saka.Saka missed the start against Croatia as he continues to manage a lingering Achilles issue that has required close monitoring in recent months.The winger did not train with the main group on Saturday, instead following an individual program designed to manage his workload and ensure he remains available later in the tournament.Although he is not expected to start against Ghana, Rice believes England are handling the situation correctly and remains confident that Saka will play an important role during the World Cup.“One hundred percent,” Rice said when asked if Saka still has a big role to play.“It’s really good the way we manage it.“The amount of football he’s played, I’ve seen him at Arsenal with this little Achilles problem he has. We’ll manage it the right way for sure.”Saka showed his quality against Croatia despite only appearing as a substitute, setting up Marcus Rashford’s goal after entering the match in the second half.
England balances ambition and fitness
England’s preparations for the tournament included a heat acclimatization camp in Florida, with Tuchel and his staff placing a strong emphasis on ensuring the squad could cope with the conditions they might face in North America.While the Croatia match was played in the air-conditioned stadium in Dallas with a temperature of around 22°C, England expected more demanding conditions later in the tournament.Rice said the players had been assured by Tuchel that the team possessed the physical conditioning needed to maintain their aggressive style regardless of the weather.“The heat will tell [our playing style] in spells,” Rice explained.“But the manager has been really clear with us and with this team that we have the strength and the power to knock down and knock down teams with our strength.”For now, England’s immediate focus remains Ghana and ensuring the anticipated progress from Group L. Rice’s revelation offers a clearer explanation for the concern generated by his substitution against Croatia, while also highlighting the physical reality behind a season that has already stretched to 63 games.The encouraging news for England is that the midfielder who has quietly managed that burden since Christmas insists he is fit, available and ready to continue.
