Need to know
Declan Rice is one of several Premier League stars who has pulled out of the latest England squad
Declan Rice of Arsenal looks on during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal FC at American Express Stadium on September 19, 2026 in Brighton, England.
Declan Rice has withdrawn from the England squad(Image: Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Why is Declan Rice not playing for England?
Absence explained: Declan Rice pulled out of Thomas Tuchel's Nations League squad and will miss the games against Spain, Croatia and the Czech Republic. It has been reported that he has dropped out due to load management, rather than any specific injury.
Who else has dropped out?: Alongside Rice, four other Premier League players have withdrawn from the latest England squad. This includes Cole Palmer, Tino Livramento, Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo.
World Cup injury: Rice had been dealing with a neural hamstring issue during the latest England camp at the World Cup. He has, however, played in every game for the Gunners so far this season, barring the Carabao Cup third round victory over Ipswich.
Plans for 2026/27: Despite playing a whopping 69 games during the 2025/26 season, the midfielder believes he can keep up this consistent playing time by maintaining his workload. Speaking after the win over Napoli in the Champions League, Rice said: "I think for the last six seasons, even since my West Ham days when it was in Europe, I've played 60 plus every season. So I think it is sustainable because I've shown that I can do it. It's just about maintaining it, maintaining the level and the consistency of the performances."