Declan Rice has praised England’s handling of Bukayo Saka’s fitness while admitting that he has also been putting his body on the line after a physically demanding season with Arsenal.
The midfielder was substituted during England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia in their World Cup opener after experiencing discomfort that had troubled him for months.
Thomas Tuchel later revealed that he withdrew Rice as a precaution, and the Arsenal star has now explained the reasoning behind the decision.
Rice confirmed that he has been dealing with neural pain in his hamstring since the middle of the club season but agreed with the England manager’s decision to protect him.
“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,” Rice said. “It was a smart decision.”
The midfielder added that fatigue often becomes most noticeable in the closing stages of matches, particularly after such a long campaign.
Rice’s comments offer another insight into the physical toll Arsenal’s title-winning season has taken on several of Mikel Arteta’s key players.
William Saliba recently admitted he has been managing a back problem, while Saka continues to be carefully monitored because of an Achilles issue.
Rice believes England are taking the correct approach with Saka ahead of the remainder of the tournament.
The winger missed group training recently and is not expected to start against Ghana, though Rice remains confident he can make a major impact.
“100 per cent,” Rice said when asked whether Saka could influence the World Cup.
“I think it’s really good the way we’re managing him.”
“I’ve seen him at Arsenal with this little Achilles problem he’s got.”
“I don’t think you want to put him in straight away now and put him at risk.”
Rice also highlighted Saka’s desire to play despite his fitness concerns, describing his Arsenal teammate as one of the biggest game players he has shared a pitch with.
The England midfielder admitted that both club and international footballers often have little choice but to play through pain when major prizes are at stake.
“We can’t sit and complain. We have to just get on with it,” he said. “For moments like winning the Premier League, you’d put your body on the line to be available and to play.”
Rice also explained how Arsenal’s title triumph has helped shape his mentality heading into the World Cup.
The 26-year-old believes confidence and hunger are the biggest benefits of finally getting over the line after several near misses.
He pointed to Arsenal’s ability to ignore outside noise and remain focused on their objectives as a lesson England can use during the tournament.
“Confidence. Hunger to win more for sure,” Rice said. “I noticed a difference in terms of blocking out the outside noise and focusing on what we know we’re good at.”
With England targeting World Cup glory, Rice believes that same mentality could prove crucial in the weeks ahead.