Rice Confirms Fitness Ahead of Knockout Stages
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has declared himself fit for the remainder of England's World Cup campaign, allaying fears over his physical condition. Rice missed the final group match against Panama due to a combination of calf, back, and hamstring problems, which had even required him to wear special compression socks. However, the 25-year-old insists he is ready for the last 32 tie with DR Congo and the knockout stages.
Speaking about his fitness, Rice said: “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. 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.”
Managing Workload for Team Success
Rice acknowledged that he is managing his body carefully but feels strong and ready to contribute. “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 added.
The midfielder expressed his willingness to sit out matches if it benefits the team: “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.”
Rest Triggered Flare-Up, But No Long-Term Concern
Rice revealed that the break at the end of the club season may have caused his recent issues, but he is confident they are not serious. He explained: “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 added: “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.”
Looking Ahead to Next Season
Rice insisted the issue will not affect his availability for the start of next season. “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,” he said.
“Once this season's done, I'll get my rest and I'm sure next season I'll go into it fine,” Rice concluded.
