Declan Rice injury: England star explains issue affecting him at the World Cup after gruelling Arsenal season
Declan Rice injury causes concern ahead of England vs Ghana, as England midfielder admits hamstring problem since last December
England have been dealt a fitness concern ahead of their crucial World Cup clash with Ghana after Declan Rice revealed that he has been struggling with a hamstring injury which forced him off against Croatia.
The Arsenal midfielder was substituted with just over 20 minutes to go in England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia last week, prompting concerns that one of Thomas Tuchel’s most important players could be facing a spell on the sidelines.
Rice disclosed that he has been dealing with a hamstring-related problem for months, dating back to the second half of the domestic season, in which Arsenal won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
“I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time,” he told ITV Sport.
“Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that. It was all behind-the-scenes stuff but it [the substitution] was a smart decision.
“That last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most [injuries], it is where you really feel your body going for it. So it was a smart decision because the last few days I have felt really, really good.
“It’s an obscene amount of games. The schedule was crazy but what can we do about it?
“You can’t sit and complain. We have to just get on with it for the moments like I had in winning the Premier League.
“You know you’d play as many games as possible to have that feeling again, and knowing that there’s a World Cup at the end of it as well. You know you’d put your body on the line to be able to play.”
Will Declan Rice start against Ghana?
Rice remains the foundation of Tuchel’s midfield, providing defensive security while also driving the team forward in possession. His influence was evident against Croatia, where he once again controlled large periods of the match before being replaced.
Few players have become more integral to England over the past five years than Rice. Since establishing himself as a regular starter, he has evolved from a specialist defensive midfielder into one of the most complete central midfielders in world football. Many see Rice, alongside captain Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, as one of the key players that make England among the favourites to win the World Cup.
According to reports, Rice has trained normally since the Croatia clash and is expected to be available for Tuesday’s second Group E fixture in Boston, where the Three Lions are strong favourites to beat Ghana.
Yet, should Tuchel decide to rest his midfielder ahead of the knockout stages, Bellingham could drop back to play alongside Elliot Anderson in the midfield, while Kobbie Mainoo and Jordan Henderson could also be options to fill in.
