Rice: The number of games is absurd, but you're willing to sacrifice your body

Arsenal and England midfielder Declan Rice has revealed he has been playing through pain since the start of the year.

“I’m in good shape, healthy, and full of energy. I’ve been dealing with a slight neuralgic pain in my hamstring, something I’ve been battling at Arsenal for a very long time. Obviously, not many people knew about it,” Rice was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

On June 17, the midfielder started for England in their 4-2 victory over Croatia in the first group stage match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Rice was substituted in the 72nd minute.

"Ultimately, the last 20 minutes are when you're most under pressure. In those final 20 minutes, you really feel your body pushed to its limits. I think it was a smart decision because I've been feeling really good these past few days," Rice commented.

Regarding the expanded World Cup format, the midfielder stated:

"The number of games is absurd. The schedule is crazy, but what can we do about it? We can't just sit around and complain. We just have to keep working for moments like the one I had in the Premier League when I won the title. You know you're ready to play as many games as possible to experience that feeling again, and knowing there's a World Cup at the end of it all. You know you're willing to sacrifice your body to always be in the game. It's a lot of matches, but we'll get our rest eventually," Rice noted.

On June 23, England will face Ghana in their second group stage match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.