Declan Rice dismisses injury fears ahead of England World Cup clash

Declan Rice has dismissed concerns over his fitness ahead of England’s crucial World Cup group game against Ghana on Tuesday.

The Arsenal midfielder was substituted in the 70th minute of the opening match against Croatia after experiencing physical discomfort.

That early withdrawal prompted former international defender Gary Neville to express worry over the usually robust holding player.

It also followed a recent revelation that the former West Ham captain has been managing a hamstring issue since the turn of the year.

Conditioned for tournament football

Despite those fears, the engine-room anchor insists he is perfectly prepared for the grueling demands of a major international tournament.

He arrives at the World Cup on the back of a demanding 63-game domestic season, which culminated in a Premier League title and a Champions League final appearance.

“I’ve been lucky enough to play in Europe for the last six years, my last three years at West Ham, my first three with Arsenal, so my body’s been conditioned and built for these moments for playing long seasons,” Rice stated.

The midfield general added that the current campaign has been more mentally taxing than physically draining.

“I think at this moment in time, I’m in a mentally very good space, physically I feel really good as well. So I want to keep taking this into the end of the tournament.”

Bringing club confidence to the global stage

Domestic success in North London has provided a significant psychological boost for his international ambitions.

“I think I come into this tournament with bundles of confidence,” he affirmed.

Having finished as runners-up in his first two seasons at the Emirates Stadium, finally securing the championship has imbued him with a winning mentality.

“I remember saying at the PFA Awards last year, even in life, you need to go through small losses in order to win big, and I felt at Arsenal that was coming.”

With domestic hurdles cleared, the tireless enforcer is now fully focused on guiding the national team deep into the competition.

“I feel like I come into England with a spring in my step. Just a real confidence, and for sure I can bring that into this tournament and, as the games go on and we keep playing against good opposition, I feel like you are going to keep seeing the best of me.”