Rice Reveals Six-Month Injury Secret After England Beat Croatia 4-2

England opened their World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia in Dallas, with Harry Kane scoring twice and Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford also on target. Thomas Tuchel's side strengthened their position at the top of Group L immediately, but the evening ended with a question that cut through the celebration: why was Declan Rice withdrawn in the 72nd minute, and how serious was it?

The answer, it turns out, has been developing quietly since Christmas. Rice confirmed after the match that he has been managing neural pain in his upper hamstring - an issue that radiates into his lower back - for more than six months, entirely out of public view. "Not a lot of people would have known that," he told ITV Sport. "It was all behind the scenes stuff." For those searching for context in other sporting disciplines, much as fans following niche competitions seek out the best bandy betting odds to stay close to sports they care about, the reality here is that Rice's situation had been carefully monitored by Arsenal and England's medical staff long before the World Cup began. The substitution was a precaution, not a crisis.

Rice was direct about why the 72nd minute made sense as a moment to act. "That last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most," he said. "You play a 70-minute match, but that last 20 is where you really feel your body going through it." Tuchel and his staff made a calculated decision: protect a key player with the tournament barely started, absorb a short-term uncertainty, and preserve him for what lies ahead.

Sixty-Three Matches and Still Standing

The scale of Rice's season places his condition in sharp context. The Croatia game was his 63rd appearance of the 2025-26 campaign - 55 of those for Arsenal, who won the Premier League title and reached the Champions League final, followed by eight further matches with England in the lead-up to and including the World Cup. There has been almost no room to breathe. "It's an obscene amount of games," Rice said. "The schedule was crazy but what can we do about it? You can't sit and complain." His willingness to carry the neural issue through that workload without public complaint says something about both his character and the pressures elite players navigate in the modern game. The calendar demands it; the competitions make it worthwhile. "You know you'd put your body on the line to be always in to play," he added.

Rice Clears Himself for Ghana Fixture

Despite the concern generated by his early exit against Croatia, Rice moved quickly to settle the debate over his availability for England's second Group L match against Ghana. "I'm ready, I'm fit, raring to go," he said. That matters considerably. Rice is the axis around which England's midfield functions - defensively disciplined, technically reliable, and capable of shifting the tempo of a match when England need to control possession. A win over Ghana would effectively secure England's passage to the knockout rounds, making the midfielder's confirmed fitness one of the more significant pieces of news to emerge from the Croatia camp.

Saka Managed Carefully as Tournament Workload Builds

Rice also spoke about Bukayo Saka, who sat out the Croatia start while managing a persistent Achilles problem. Saka worked through an individual training programme on Saturday rather than joining the main group session, and he is not expected to start against Ghana. Nevertheless, Rice expressed full confidence in England's management of his Arsenal teammate. "Hundred percent," he said when asked if Saka would still have a major impact on the tournament. "We're managing him the right way for sure." Saka's brief appearance against Croatia was enough to demonstrate his relevance - he came off the bench and created Rashford's goal, a reminder that even when carefully preserved, he remains a decisive influence. Tuchel's squad has the depth to cope in the short term, and the logic is straightforward: protect Saka now, have him fully available when the knockout stages arrive and the margin for error disappears entirely.