Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has declared himself fully fit for the remainder of England's World Cup campaign, dismissing fears over a series of injury setbacks that have plagued his tournament. Rice sat out England's final Group match against Panama and has battled through a calf injury, back complaints and hamstring trouble, even resorting to wearing special compression socks to manage his condition.
Rice Addresses Hamstring Niggle
The 27-year-old, a key figure in Thomas Tuchel's squad, acknowledged the hamstring issue has been persistent but stressed it is not a cause for concern. "I'm good, genuinely, I'm good. I know there's been one niggle over my hamstring, which has been an issue, but that's not a problem because I'm still here training, I'm playing. I'm fine," Rice told reporters.
Rice also revealed a separate calf problem that arose during the Ghana game. "I got a dead calf in the last minute of the Ghana game. The guy whacked me and it literally blew up for like 3 days, so that was just unlucky. It wasn't actually a calf problem," he explained.
Managing the Workload
Rice emphasised that he is managing his body well and is ready for the last-32 showdown with DR Congo and beyond. "But I'm managing myself really well. I feel good, fit and strong. It's the World Cup and missing out the other day isn't a problem. We have a squad of 26 who are unbelievable and can play," he said.
The midfielder also addressed his willingness to sit out matches for the team's benefit. "Obviously, I want to play every match, but for the good of the team – I don't mind missing out the odd game just for other players to play. I'm fine with that, as long as we keep going and winning matches," Rice added.
Rest and Recovery
Rice suggested that a period of rest at the end of the season may have aggravated a problem he has been managing since Christmas. He noted that the pain is not limited to football activities. "It's not just a pain that happens [just] during football. You could be sat at home and you'd feel a little pain shoot up your leg. It's just something that is obviously a bit unusual for me because I've never had anything before," he said.
He explained his approach to recovery: "It's something I've just managed in a good way. I've tried to get my rest when I can and obviously knew that last season I was just prioritising games. When you play that many games [at your club], you're hardly training. It's just: recovery, games, recovery, games."
Shock to the System
Rice attributed the flare-up to a sudden change in routine after a busy season. "I think [the flare up] was a bit of a shock to the system just because I played the Champions League final, had a week completely off-feet, where I did nothing, and then just got myself back into a rhythm again. I think the body had a little bit of a shock," he said.
He remains confident the issue will not affect his long-term fitness. "I think that's why I started to feel the pain a little bit because towards the end [of the season] it was starting to ease off. I think it's just something I've got to keep managing. Once this season's done, I'll get my rest and I'm sure next season I'll go into it fine," Rice concluded.
